WAR VETERANS

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4954, 11 February 1937, Page 2

WAR VETERANS

SUSTENANCE PAYMENTS. The question of sustenance payments to war veterans in the receipt of allowances or pensions was discussed by a conference between the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) and the executive of the Returned Soldiers’ Association on Monday, and the Minister announced later that he believed that they had found a satisfactory solution to the problem. “As a result of the conference,” said Mr. Armstrong, “I am now in a position to recommend something to the Government that will be acceptable to the returned soldiers and also, I believe, satisfactory to all concerned.” Mr. Armstrong explained that the Labour Department had been paying sustenance to a number of necessitous war veterans from the Employment Fund. These men were being paid the rates they were entitled to under the departmental regulations. It was found, however, that in cases where the recipient’s income from war veteran’s allowance specified under the Allowances Act, the Pensions Department was deducting the proportionate sum from the pension. “In other words,” said Mr. Armstrong, “what we were giving with one hand was being taken away by the other hand of the Pensions Department. So the Labour Department decided that after a certain date the Pensions Department would have to pay the full amount of the pension, and we would consider whether we were justified in paying anything form the Employment Fund. The talk on Monday with the executive of the Returned Soldiers’ Association has helped to straighten out some difficulties, and I now see my way clear to make a recommendation to the Government. I am unable at the moment, however, to disclose my proposals;”