The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, November 13, 1915. WAR PENSIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1472, 13 November 1915, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, November 13, 1915. WAR PENSIONS.

Statements have been made by correspondents through the press, expressing dissatisfaction with the military pensions scheme and the Pensions Board administration. The uncertainty which it is alleged exists in the minds of numbers of men as to whether their dependents would be amply provided for in case of death or disablement has retarded enlistment. The Board’s decisions have accentuated this feeling, and men anxious to serve their country want to know definitely beforehand to what extent the State will make provision for those they leave behind in case of disablement or death. The Wellington Post, in dealing with such criticism, says : ‘‘Much of this criticism is written in ignorance or with a very imperfect understanding of the Act, and some of it is offered with extreme unconcern for the financial factor. Everybody desires to have the provision of pensions as liberal as the country can afford, but there is a limit to the State’s resources. Some folk imagine that a problem is more than half solved by a declaration : 'The State should do such-and-such.’ Sometimes the State has means to do what it should do, and sometimes it has not. At present the State expects to pay ,£1,000,000 in war pensions. How much more can be spared ? If more is needed, what means will be taken to raise the money ? What class will be taxed ? This may not be the time for an answer by the Government to such questions. but this should be a time for preparation for contingencies. Special taxation had to b.e levied this year to meet expenditure caused by the war, and if the demands of some of the commentators on pensions are granted, the Government must increase the taxation substantially, The writers of certain assertions seem to have a belief that the Government and Parliament decided deliberately to be niggardly. Any such notion is absurdly contrary to New Zealand’s experience during the past few years. It is well known that the political parties have gone as deeply as they dared into the public purse in order to improve the pensions of various classes, • The disposition to expand the expenditure on humanitarianism has grown from year to year, and it is practically impossible for any rational observer of politics to believe that an average member of Parliament will be unwilling to ‘go the limit’ on war pensions. The trouble w ill be, not in persuading the politicians to be generous with the taxpayers’ money, but in keeping them within the bounds of financial prudence and safety. Meanwhile complaints are numerous about alleged ‘Bumble’ administration by the Pensions Board. Here, again, enquiries made by a representative of The Post have shown that numbers of people have exaggerated the grievances, but we know of at least one reported yesterday—in which the complainant has apparently sound cause for a charge of injustice. So much has been said and written that the Minister of Pensions should now make a clear

statement. The attack, though vague, and not always just, has persisted vigorously for some weeks, and it is time that the people witnessed some definite action in defence.”

LOCAL AJND GENEKAL.

The recent squally weather has hampered shearing operations throughout this district.

The Queen of the South with a cargo of general from Wellington arrived this afternoon.

The ordinary meeting of the local State school committee will be held on Thursday evening next, at 8 o’clock.

Mr W. H. Ferris, chief hemp grader, is at present on a tour of instruction to flaxmillers. He was in Foxton yesterday, and left this morning lor Wairoa. At the Patriotic Society’s meeting on Thursday night, Mr Aitkeu stated that he was arranging a patriotic concert, in aid of the funds for December.

Since the early closing of hotels in Melbourne the publicans state that the bar takings have decreased by a quarter and the amount of drinking has largely decreased.

His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by Surgeon-General Henderson, Colonel Cook and Colonel Faulkner, paid a visit of inspection to the Awapuni Ambulance camp yesterday. Thomas Edward Eaton, aged 27, a single man, was accidentally killed at Lichfield, near Pataruru, on Wednesday morning by falling under a disc harrow he was driving. Lawrence Broadbent, second officer of the Kanna, has been missing since 10 p.m. on Wednesday. It is feared he has been drowned in the Fuller river. His wife is in Sydney. The Foxton Ladies Patriotic Guild has appointed Mrs Greig, and the Girls’ Guild Miss Edwards, as their respective representatives on the executive of the Foxton Patriotic Society. The local Horticultural Society’s Spring Show will be held in the Town Hall on Thursday and Friday, 25th and 26th insts. Schedules may be obtained on application to the secretary.

Members of the Presbyterian Ladies Guild were entertained at an afternoon in the Presbyterian Schoolroom on Wednesday afternoon by Mrs Bredin. A very enjoyable time was spent.

Private S. T. Saville, who has been on duty in Samoa for some time returned to New Zealand as one of the escourt in charge of the German prisoners, and is at present in Foxton on a fortnight’s leave.

A meeting of the executive of the local Patriotic Society will be held on Monday evening next, for the purpose of drawing up a scheme of activities to be submitted to a general meeting on Thursday. The Girls’ Guild wishes to thank Mrs E. Ball for 2 walking sticks for wounded soldiers, also one from Mr Knapp. The sticks, about a dozen in all, will be forwarded to Wellington early next week.

The Mayor asks us to remind those who have a shilling to spare, that his Tobacco Fund must positively close on Saturday next, the 20th inst. Any amount from one shilling upwards will be thankfully received. The local Ladies’ Patriotic Guild, at their meeting yesterday, decided to co-operate with the combined Palmerston Friendly Societies in connection with their annual picnic at Foxton on New Year’s Day. The Guild will probably conduct refreshment and produce stalls. A trade journal reports that Germany is getting hard up for paper. During July her paper mills produced less than half the normal output, and already 1300 newspapers and other publications have had to suspend issue. “Scraps of paper” are held in higher esteem in Germany to-day than in July last year. The Hospital Board on Thursday passed a resolution of sympathy with the relatives of Nurses Jamieson and Sinclair Brown who were drowned in the disaster which befel the French hospital ship Marquette. The chairman stated that both nurses had obtained their training in Palmerston Hospital. The price of the qlb loaf of bread, which has been qd in Wellington for some time past, has been reduced to Sd. The Welling ton Evening Post, in referring to the reduction, says: —“The reason for the latest reduction in the price of bread is given in some quarters as a consequence of the reduction of the stock of flour bought at a high price during the flour and wheat scare. Some consumers have asked, Why should we all be made to pay a high price for our bread because the baker has paid too much for his flour ? The baker has undoubtedly paid too much for his flour. The Government has ascertained that there were discrepancies between results obtained from returns furnished by farmers and by threshing mill owners. There were 40,000 acres under wheat which were accounted for. There were 6,644,336 bushels of wheat raised, as against 5,231,700 bushels the year before, which was a year of plenty, and yet there was a scare.”

We are showing a splendid line of ladies “Equity” shoes, guaranteed quality, latest style. Betty’s Boot Emporium.*

Walker’s stables at Bulls were destroyed by fire yesterday morning:. Nothing was saved, Three horses, including a stallion, and six dogs were burnt to death. The loss is above insurances.

A meeting ot the Helping Hand Fund Committee will be held In the Council Chambers on Monday next, at 7.30 p.m, sharp, to consider a dase of local distress, The fund is in credit to the extent of odd, which represents a tew subscriptions backed bv the proceeds ot two benefit entertainments. Mr Kent-Johnston is the secretary and Mr Symes the treasurer of the fund.

At Thursday’s meeting of the Palmerston District Hospital Board, it was decided to amend the rules governing admission to the Old People’s Home. No inmates will be admitted who have relatives able to support them. It was pointed out that if this rule was not enforced certain people would shunt their responsibility as to the aged on to the Board, and defeat the object for which the Horae was erected.

The Health Inspector, M* O’Brien, reported at the Hospital Board on Thursday that there were 20 cases of diphtheria in Palmerston hospital district during October. Of these Foxton contributed n, Palmerston 3, Feilding 1, Kairanga 2. Manawatu 2, and Oroua 1, All the patients are convalescent and no further cases have been reported. This is the highest number of diphtheria cases in the district for one month, that has ever come under the notice of the Inspector. Speaking to a reporter this week the Hon. James Alien said there had been a considerable amount of anxiety in the Domi niou as to our soldiers at Gallipoli, and their health after their long and trying service. Some of the men had been there from the start. He was very glad to be able to relieve that anxiety. lie had communicated with the General Commandant, and bad just received his reply. It was to the effect that the New Zealanders have been resting since the 15th and 16th September up till the time the message was despatched. The men had been given this time to recuperate. Judging by the remarks of several speakers at Thursday night’s meeting ot the local Patriotic Society, the proposed carnival did not meet with unanimous approval, Mr Kellow urged canvassing for names ot those willing to give a definite amount per mouth until the end of the war. Another suggestion for raising funds for the sick and wounded was that a collection box be left at every home in the borough. By this means if only is per month were subscribed in each home it would total several hundreds of pounds per year. The carnival effort places too much work on the shoulders of too few enthusiasts. The ladies who have been working on behalf of our boys at the front will be pleased to know how much the woollen garments are appreciated. Sergt. Henderson, machine gun section of the Otago infantry, writing to his aunt, Mrs Jno. Ross, from Gallipoli says: “What the women and girls of New Zealand are doing for the soldiers at the front will never be appreciated at their full value except by the men in the trenches. Many times have I thanked the kind hands which made the balaclava and scarf which I still have. Many times in the cold have I wondered what I would have done without them. But rest assured that if the people ot New Zealand don’t recognise your work, the men who have left their homes and dear ones, appreciate all that is being done for them.”

When Annette Kellerraan last appeared at the Condon Hippodrome, her beauty, charm and varied accomplishments, led the alert Condon representative ot the largest film company in America to approach her with a proposition to star in a photo-play it a suitable one could be obtained. The result was that Captain Peacocke was commissioned to write “Neptune’s Daughter” and Miss Kellermau and 200 specially selected artists were sent to the Bermuda Islands to produce this spectacular romance of the sea. The result, when the play was produced at the Globe Theatre, New York, fully justified the enormous expense incurred. Blase playgoers were electrified, jaded critics rubbed their eyes and wondered and the public packed the spacious theatre twice daily for nearly a year to witness the stupendous production. This wonderful pictorial romance in its entirety will be shown at the Town Hall on Tuesday, November 16th, for one night only.