S. AFRICAN VETERANS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1926, Page 3

S. AFRICAN VETERANS

PENSIONS AS OF RIGHT. -MINISTER’S LYMPHATIC REFUSAL. WELLINGTON, August 26. The Minister lor Pensions (the Hon. Air Anderson) gave a very definite and not a very favourable reply, to a deputation from the South' African AVmVeterans’ Association to-day, when it asked that the Government should re-

duce tlie pension age from 65 to GO in. the ease of nil South African veterans, that all, irrespective of age. if incapacitated by reason of war service, should receive pensions, and that men who served in South Africa, hut who were not attested in New Zealand, should also receive pension assistance. It was suggested that a reciprocal arrangement might he made with the Imperial Government in regard to tho latter point. Air’Anderson gave an omphalic denial to statements that he had agreed: to increase the South African war pension from £l3 per year to £IG. All that had been done so far was to have the matter referred to a committee of Cabinet, which had not yet made its final decision. The matter would not he attended to this session. “It is not only yourselves that I have to consider in this matter of pensions.” said the Minister. “ I have to consider all Great War men who will eventually come along as you are doing

to demand a pension as of right, f iell you frankly I will net recommend Cabinet to give you a pension us of right as the .Maori war veterans have claimed, because if you have come hack to New Zealand and made a very good nest egg you have had the protection of the laws which you protected on tho battlefield in laying aside your

nest egg. You have no right to come along and say. ‘ We want special consideration for something wo did on the battlefield.’ If you have not succeeded in laying aside a nest egg. I agree that von should have a pension;”, Afr Anderson continued that, lie was not going to recommend the reduction of the pension age from. 65 to GO, and, so far as incapacity was concerned, they would have to he treated on the same lines as incapacity for the whole of the community. He promised to discuss with the Prime .Minister the question of reciprocity with the Old Country. The Alinister for Finance (the lion, [j Air Downie Stewart) said that he had I always realised that South Africans bad justice o*i their side in saying Hint they bad not got as liberal a deal as men of the Groat War, hut it was very dim cult to open i h<‘ matter up now Ir after all the time that had elapsed. Mr Anderson stated that if they said that t ;, ’ey should have a pension as of right he could not see' what the answer . was to ho to men of the Great War. He would like to hear how they pro- , posed to face the problem. It might not he very expensive to meet the ease ; of tbp South African men, hut what 1 would he involved if it was applied to an army of 100,000? It, would be an enormous burden on the taxpayer of the country. “I frankly admit that a

mistake was made in granting a pension as a right, to the Maori win- veterans.” he said. “ but I am not going j to perpetuate that error." Air Downie Stewart: There are South African veterans who are wealthy men. Are they to get a pension as a right? Air Anderson: That’s what they are asking. So far as I am concerned, I [ am not going to recommend my colleagues to give a wealthy man a pension as a right. It is unsound in principle.