MILITARY PAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 11 March 1943, Page 5

MILITARY PAY

DISCHARGED SERVICEMEN INVALIDED MEMBERS Wellington. This Day An important decision affecting discharged members of the forces was announced by the Prime Minister. Mr Fraser, last night He stated that the Government had been seriously con cerned with the financial difficulties faced by soldiers who, by force of circumstances quite beyond their control, were wholly or pratly unemployable. Some of these men were not in receipt

of Army pay and were not entitled tc a full war pension.

The Prime Minister explained that under the present policy an invalided member who requires hospital treat ment was retained on military pay for a period not exceeding three months. If it were found that his invalidity was of a prolonged nature, he was dis charged from the forces and granted a privilege leave of 28 days if he had

served overseas or 14 days if he had served in New Zealand. There were other cases where the injuries or sicknesses suffered could not be directly at tributed to war service, and these men were denied the advantages of the war pensions legislation.

Mr Fraser said that for the duration of thp war all members of the forces who had served in New Zealand or overseas, and were in-patients or outpatients of hospitals, would continue on full pay and allowances till (a) they had been discharged from the Army as fit to take up civil employment; or (b> granted discharge from the Army at their own request. PAY AND ALLOWANCES “As soon as a member is certified by a medical board as unfit for military service and able to undertake some form of civil employment, his Army pay and allowances will continue till his case is dealt with by the Rehabilitation Board or the War Pensions Depart ment,” said Mr Fraser. “Rehabilitation allowance or any pension granted will begin from the date he is discharged from the Army when his Army pay and allowances cease.

“These proposals will not prejuidee m any way the right 0 f any member to claim a rehabilitation allowance or pension, but such will not be paid till the cessation of his military pay and allowances. The leave privileges previously referred to will be continued.

The Prime Minister added that he had already announced the conditions of payment of the rehabilitation allowances, the principal features of which were that from the time military pay ceases till the serviceman is either placed in employment or granted an adequate war pension an allowance may be paid for a period not exceeding 13 weeks in accordance with the following scale.

The maximum weekly allowance (free of National and Social Security tax) would be as follows: Single man. £3 10s; married man and wife only, £4 10s; married man, wife and one child. £4 16s; married man, wife and two children, £5 2s; married man, wife and three children, £5 8s; married man. wife and four children, £5 14s; married man, wife and five children (maximum rate), £6.

“This policy,” said Mr Fraser, “is being brought into immediate operation, and by its adoption the anomalies that experience has brought to light will be removed. No man, who has served his country and his health is undermined, will suffer a period of serious financial embarrassment while he is in the pro cess of transfer to civil life. The Government is undertaking to ensure through the financial channels of military pay, rehabilitation allowance and war pension, that a reasonable income is granted till every man is able to take up civil employment. In the unfortunate instances where prolonged hospital treatment is occasioned, millIfery pay will continue for the duration of the war.”

Men demobilised from the home de fence forces are to receive 14 days’ leave on full pay.