RETURNED SOLDIERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 196, 2 August 1934, Page 4

RETURNED SOLDIERS

War Pensions Amendment LABOUR MEMBER’S BILL By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, August 1. Mr J. A. Lee (Lab.—Grey Lynn) moved In the House of Representatives to-day for leave to introduce the War Pensions Amendment Bill, He said that every returned soldier was behind the proposals of his bill. Returned Soldiers’ Associations were also behind it. From end to end of New Zealand returned soldiers were breaking up, but because they were not recorded as casualties they were not entitled to the treatment accorded other returned men. No soldier who was on active service eame back with his health unimpaired Big inroads were made into the constitutions of the men, even though they were, not scratched. The bill would provide peusions to men who now were cracking up but who were not able to secure pensions through the War Pensions Board and could not prove that their state of health was due to war service. Mr W. J. Jordan (tab.—Manukau) supported the bill. He thought it was the duty of the country to provide for those men who went overseas to fight for their country and who now were feeling the effect of their experiences. He trusted the Government would consider that plea for the soldiers of the Dominion and say it was not necessary for a private member to introduce such a bill. He was sure that every taxpayer would support the Government’s giving extra assistance to those men. Mr H. G. Dickie (Govt. —Patea) referred to what had been done in other parts of the Empire for the pre-maturely-aged returned soldier. He recognised that New Zealand had many men worthy of assistance, but said that the Pensions Board recently had adopted a more liberal viewpoint.

Mr E. T. Tirikatene (Govt. —Southern Maori) said that many men. in their anxiety to return to their civil occupations, said they were fit when actually they were not fit. Many Maoris were affected by their war services and were unable to obtain assistance. Ho asked that the Maori shou.d be treated equally with the European. Mr A. M. Samuel (Independent— Thames) spoke of the experiences the men went through and said they must have had a detrimental effect on the health of the men. He also commended the proposed withdrawal of the twoyear provision when a man married. Mrs E. M. McCombs (Lab. —Lyttelton) also instanced cases of hardship she had come across and asked the Government to honour the promises it had given when the men went away. Mr J. Hargest (Govt. —Invercargill) felt, and he was certain every other member of the House felt, that they owed more than they could afford to pay to those men who went nway. He thought something more should be done for them and hoped that provisions would be made in the bill for South African veterans. The Rev. Clyde Carr (Lab.—Timaru) said the time was rapidly coming when men whose health had cracked up roust be given the benefit of the doubt that it was duo to war service. Other members supported the bill, Mr A. J. Stallwurthy (Independent—Eden) suggesting that the Government should consider introducing a general invalidity pension. The Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Pensions, said ho had to agree with much that had beeu said that afternoon. Nevertheless, he thought every reasonable consideration was given to the returned man who eould put up a good case. The Department's aim was not to prevent any man receiving a pension provided there was a reasonable probability that his state of health was due to war service. It was proof that the war pensions bill had increased by £29,000 during last year. He had been going into the matter of provision for the dependents of men who had married two years after the war. While he did not want to commit himself that afternoon, he thought two years was too short. It was possible that it would be altered to five years. He admitted that many men who came back in good health were now cracking up and that it was due to war service. The bill was introduced and read the first time. The House then discussed replies to questions, which were circulated.