WAR PENSIONS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 2715, 7 August 1923, Page 5

WAR PENSIONS.

A GENERAL INCREASE. FAVOURABLE REPORT BY COMMISSION. PROVISION FOR POST-WAR WIDOWS. (From our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. The report of the War Pensions Commission was presented to Parliament to-day.

In dealing seriatim, with the claims of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association the Commission states that the request for a 75 per cent, increase in the basic pension rates to soldiers classed os over 50 per cent, disability, subject to any necessary cost of living adjustments, was generally supported by witnesses, who knew the actual conditions of soldiers. Total disablement, under the Act, it was pointed out, was not necessarily total incapacity. The Commission recommended a compensation pension of £2 a week, plus an economic pension of £1 10/a week, as provided for in the Bill. The question of disability over 5u per cent, was the most difficult and complex one the Commission had had to deal with. Many of these men were in a most unfortunate position through unemployment, and were in receipt of a quite inadequate pension. Their position was not in keeping with what an enlightened public conscience must regard as their duty, and it was particularly unfortunate in that, though married, many of them wore not eligible for a supplementary pension, under the existing Icgislat onThe Commission besought most sympathetic consideration for these men, and recommended that such cases bo treated similarly to case of total disablement in respect of the economic pension, in the discretion of the War Pensions Board, so that, while a disabled man of the class in questionwas unemployed through no fault of his own, he should be entitled to the full benefit of the economic pension, and that his wife and children should also have a compensation pension as for total disablement of the husband. Every effort should be made to procure work for these men, and the question had to be faced whether they were to be left a charge to the charity of the patriotic societies. In respect to cases of disablement of 50 per cent., and less, the Commission suggested that, as they varied infinitely, wide discretion should be left to tho Pensions Board, and that the principles on which it should be exercised might be laid down from time to time. It was recommended that the pensions should be increased by the grant of an economic pension of 10/- per week in the’ case of a widow with one child, with an increase of 25 per cent, for each additional child.

The Commission endorsed the principle that pensions should be adjusted in accordance with the variation in the cost of living, but instead of a triennial adjustment, It favoured an annual review, based on average monthly prices over tho preceding year.

After full consideration of the matter of appeal from the decisions of the War Pensions Board, the Commission expressed the opin.on that the right of appeal to a tribunal in highest authority should be given in certain cases, but that to reduce the number of genuine appeals, and to prevent an avalanche of unmeritorlous and frivolous appeals, it would be necessary to provide safeguards. The cancellation or reduction of pension, as extra punishment to a sentence of the Court, the Commission recommended, should b c loft at th e discretion of the Pensions Board. The principle that a soldier’s widow should be eligible for a pension, irrespective of the date of marriage, was approved by the Commission, subject to certain limitations, necessary to guard against death-bed marriages.