N.Z. WAR PENSIONS BEING RAISED

Grey River Argus, 19 August 1949, Page 3

N.Z. WAR PENSIONS BEING RAISED

WELLINGTON, August 18. Rt. Hon. W. Nash, Finance Minister, in his Budget speech, said: War pension rates will also be increased, as well as age benefits. As the majority of ex-servicemen suffering minoi' disabilities for which they are receiving war pensions are following normal employment, they will benefit from the increase in the general wage-level, but to ensure that all pensioners will participate in the improvements in benefits it is proposed to raise the basic pension. For a pensioner who suffers 50 per cent, disablement the pension will be raised from £1 10s a weeli to £1 15s a week. Where a pensioner is totally disabled the pension will be raised from £3 a week to £3 10s a week. Other pensions for'various degrees of disablement will be proportionately incressed. At the same time the pension for a wife will be increased from £1 to £1 5s a week. Where there are dependent children, the mother’s allowance of £1 10s will rise to £1 15s, but-the children’s allowance will remain at 10s a week for each child as at present. , „ Thus a disabled man on full economic pension with a wife and two children, according to percentage of

The basic rate of pension for war widows will be increased by 5s per week, while war pensions payable to other classes of dependants will be increased pro rata. The basic rate of war veterans’ allowance, both for the war veteran and, if married, for his wife, will be increased from £2 5s to £2 10s a week, giving a maximum of £5 weekly for a married couple. All increases in war pensions and war veterans’ allowance will operate from June 1, 1949. The estimated cost of these increases for the balance of the current financial year is £500,000.

disability, can receive Disablement pension Economic pension ... Mother’s allowance . Children’s allowance .... Totally Disabled £ s d . 3 10 0 ..250 . 1 15 0 (2) . ..10 0 £8 10 0 Previous rate .. £7 15 0 Disablement pension 50 per cent. Disabled £ s d . 1 15 0 .250 Mother’s allowance . Children’s allowance (2) . . 1 15 . 1 0 0 0 £6 15 0 Previous rate . £6 5 0