N.Z. WAR PENSIONS

Grey River Argus, 31 July 1940, Page 5

N.Z. WAR PENSIONS

NEAR £3O MILLIONS Bill for Extensions [Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, July 30. In the House this afternoon the second reading of the War Pensions Amendment Bill and the War Pensions Extension Bill, both of which measures were taken simultaneously, was moved by the Minister of Defence, Hon. F. Jones. He said that the total cost of the war pensions since the original Act was passed in 1915 amounted to £29,524,336. When the original Act was first placed on the Statute Book said Mr Jones, a private soldier totally disabled with a wife; and one child received £2 12s 6d per week. To illustrate the improvement made in the legislation during the ensuing 25 years, a private soldier in similar circumstances was now being paid £5 per week, said the Minister. The question of the rehabilitation of the men who had gone overseas was receiving the consideration of the. Government, said Mr Jones. Every soldier who came back from overseas would be medically examined, even to the extent of X-rays, so that the authorities could I be sure that, when a man was discharged, he would be fit. Referring to the War Pensions Extension Bill, Mr Jones said that provision had been made in respect to pensions payments for men who had been sent home to join any of the armed forces of Great Britain. In the, event of any of these men being granted a British pension that was. lower than the New Zealand pension, the difference would be paid by New Zealand. The Minister emphasised the point that, under the new legislation, there was no restriction on dependents’ allowances as far as the date of a soldier’s marriage was concerned. Mr J. A. Lee (Grey Lynn) said he was sure that all were happy to see this bill. He Said the removal of the disqualification of the men who married after a certain date was particularly pleasing. He did not thins that there would be nearly so many disabled men from this war as from the last, because war from the air did not cause the casualties that were caused by such a battle as that ot the Somme. However, a war or movement might develop later, and men might be injured in large numbers and pensions provisions must be made. He appealed to the Government to consider the pension rate in the light of present day wages and costs in comparison with those at time when the rate was laid down. The Leader of the Opposition, Mil Hamilton, said the people of the] country were willing to pay good pensions to soldiers who went to fight for them but, at the same time, he would have liked to have heard the Minister, when outlining the proposals, to give an estimate of what they were likely to cost. He was not' one who thought that they should be niggardly over allowances to exservicemen. He thought they should receive generous treatment. Both Bills were then read a second time, and, after a brief discussion in committee, were read a third time and passed. The House then adjourned for tea.