PENSIONS AND PRUDENCE

Nelson Evening Mail, 26 May 1916, Page 3

PENSIONS AND PRUDENCE

STATEMENT BY SIR, JOSEPH WARD. ' In dealing with difficulties regarding pensions, Sir Joseph Ward (Minister of Fjnance) stated in the House of Representatives, says the • Post, that the Financial Statement would shortly be before the .members, and it would then be seen.--, how. many-sided problems of nuance this country was faced with. Up to the present only about 4000 soldiers 'had returned, and when they all returned the expenditure would probably he at least 40 times the- amount of £§o,ooo now being paid. The Minister of Defence bad estimated that the amount required would be £1.000.000. and it was impossible to say -whether that estimate was right or wrong. There had already been heavy fighting, but there would be still greater, fighting when the British offensive commenced. If t!he : pensions were fixed at as liberal a scale as possible for the present they could be reviewed after the war, when we knew better what the resources and liabilities of the country were. Should the end of the wav come soon th? pensions might [ be increased, but should it continue for, say,'two years, it would not be easy to I maintain even the., present rates. It was I wrong to demand tensions based on the rates of wages ruling, and the country ! could not stand surfi rates. Any scheme [-to take part or all the wealth of the country would; end in disaster.