VETERANS' ALLOWANCES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 19

VETERANS' ALLOWANCES

Sir, —in regard to tho Veterans' Allowances Act, which was passed by the late Government as a measure for alleviating the distress ol needy exservicemen, may i throw some light on the manner in which it is being interpreted and administered. In assessing the claimant's financial position the whole of his income from whatever source, together with the income of his wife and children, is counted as his income, regardless of the smallness of his own contribution on account of illhealth or infirmity, if this income so derived is found to be in excess of £'9l per annum he will receive no assistance. If he was married seveii years or more after discharge his wife will receive nothing. So that a man with a wife and family whose aggregate income or incomes is £9l or more receives no assistance. Now, £9J per annum works out at £1 15s per week, or equal to two days' pay per week of a relief worker. The relief worker gets additional benefits —such as annual leave holiday and other holidays on full pay, anil also the issue of some blankets and clothing. In the case of a veteran being a decorated man he would have a grant with his decoration and as part and parcel of it (regardless of his 'financial position) of, say, £2O per annum in England. Now, the late Government recognised the disparity in money values and created a 25 per cent exchange rate, bringing this £2O to £2l 14s, and it is on this basis, £2l 14s, that the applicant's income is computed, although the purchasing power is still £2O. As the veteran's pension is not a disability one he still has to pay to tho Unemployment Fund although, being an unemployable man, lie can have no hope of any benefit from this fund. S(j here we have a decorated veteran and his family with a total income of £9l per annum being debarred from participation in the Act which was passed to benefit such cases. B. British.