Three Divisions In Rates Of Army Pay For Sickness

Northern Advocate, 17 November 1941, Page 6

Three Divisions In Rates Of Army Pay For Sickness

[Special to “Northern Advocate”] AUCKLAND, This Day. The division of members of the army serving in New Zealand into three groups for the purpose of pay in the event of sickness is provided for in instructions issued by army headquarters during the week-end. Those in the first group will receive full pay for three months if the illness was considered likely to cease during that time. Should such not be considered to be the case after medical examination the soldier will receive 14 days pay and be discharged. The men included in this group arc those who are accommodated in camps or barracks on full time service, but who do net lt.ceive the subsistance allowance. .Second Group Men in the second group consist of men who are not under military control for 24 hours of the day, and who are not quartered in camps or barracks. They include the regular force employed at army, district, area and sub-area headquarters; the territorial force mobilised for continuous service, but receiving subsistance allowance: and temporary staff and temporary employment staff, the National Military Reserve and Guards vital points, who are also paid the subsistance allowance. Where sickness is attributable to or aggravated by military service the army will consider each case on its merits. Account will be taken of any factor which showed that the soldier had been subjected to greater exposure or unusual risks than those incidental to his occupation.

Scale of Payments In the case of men in the second group it is provided that if their sickness was not likely to clear within three months they would be discharged after receiving 14 days’ pay. Where liability was accepted by the army, pay would be on the following scale: Under three months’ service, one week on full pay; over three months' and under six months, two weeks’ full pay: over six and under nine months, one month’s full pay: over nine months and under five years, one month’s full pay and one month’s half pay. Territorials, N.M.R. In the third group are members of the territorial force and the National Military Reserve when not in rece.pt of army pay, and between the time they are attested and medically examined and the lime they are to report in camp for training. Liability has to be accepted by the army before pay provisions can operate. Where illness is accepted as army liability the men affected would be paid compensation under the Workers’ Compensation Act, which is up to 66 2/3 of the civil pay received.