RETURNED SOLDIERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17145, 26 April 1919, Page 8

RETURNED SOLDIERS.

HAMILTON ASSOCIATION, TOTALLY DISABLED MEN. j HIGHER PENSIONS WANTED. [Bt lELEQBAFB.~OW}> COBBESPONDBOT.] " HAMILTON. Friday. The third annua! meeting of the) Wai-1 kato . Returned Soldiers' Association was! held to-night. Major G. J. Rartrick i presided, and about 200 members were I present. The annual report, published , yesterday, was read and adopted. The balance-sheet showed a credit of £690. It was resolved that all affiliated associations be invited to co-operate in urging the Government to substantially increase the pension to totally disabled men. The delegates were instructed, to place this matter among the chief points for dis- { cussion at the coining conference. Failing a, satisfactory response to represents- ' lions made to the Government by the con-1 ference ; the associations are to be asked to enlist public opinion, with a view to a complete revision of the pension scale. It was further resolved that the minimum pension to totally disabled and limbless men should be £3 15s per week. Members expressed the opinion that the Government had failed in its doty to totally disabled men, and that the present pension was inadequate. Totally disabled men should not be made to work, but should receive enough to live on comfortab'y, end should be fret) of care, and beyond tha possibility of chanty. C"ti6iderpble disrrosioii took place regarding delay in ob'aini-g pensions, and one of the vice-presidents of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association explained that this was due to so many men returning and clogging the machinery of the Pensions Department-. He said there would be no ground for complaint in the future. One member said he I thought it was a malpractice to send a policeman to ascertain a man's condition iin connexion with pensions. It was de- ' cided to hold four meetings each year. The following officers were elected:— President, Mr. P. H. Watts vice-nresi-dent, Mr. J. H. T.nxford : committee, Messrs. P. W. Maddock. H. Smith, J. McEvny, M. Larney, T. W. Stringer. E. McGregor, Junr., G. J. Ras'rick, J. McGeehan, J. Cooper; treasurr, G. W. Mathews; conference delegates, president and vice-president.