RETURNED MEN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23137, 8 September 1938, Page 15

RETURNED MEN

POSITION UNDER BILL BETTER CONDITIONS URGED LONG DEBATE ENSUES MINISTER DEFENDS PLANS [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL' REPORTER] WELLINGTON. Wednesday Tlio position of returned soldiers under the Social Security Bill was debated at length in the House of Representatives to-night during consideration of clause ()•'! of the bill in committee. Opposition members contended that the returned soldier would be given no greater benefits than any other citizen and might be worse off than ho was under the present legislation. Mr. J. A. Roy (Opposition—Clutha) suggested that a lowering of the ago limit for returned soldiers, perhaps by five years, would bo a recognition of their servico overseas.

The Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash, replied that tho bill gave an advantage of five years in that tho qualifying ago for a pension was reduced for everybody by fivo years. Provision would be made in the Finance Bill, which would probably come down to-morrow, to remove anomalies.

Claims for the Bill Mr. J. A. Lee (Government —Grey Lynn) said the bill would do moro for returned soldiers than any previous legislation. When tho bill became law a returned soldier and his wife would receive a maximum of 77s 6d a week with free medical attention, against tho present maximum of 52s 6d without medical attention. That was an improvement of 25s a week. Mr. W. J. Lvon (Government — Waitemata) said- the first man who should bo helped was the returned man in poor circumstances who was breaking down in health, not the man with enough money to keep going. The returned men themselves would insist on that point. Mr. ,J. Hargest (Opposition—Awarua) argued that there should be some means by which returned .soldiers could get a pension before other members of tlio community. Ho would bo very sorry to see tho bill give rise to class prejudice by making a distinction between tho incomes of different classes of returned men. They all deserved sorno consideration above that given the rest of tho community.

Conflict of Views Mr. H. M. Christie (Government — Waipawa) denied that the bill took away from tho war pensioner anything that he had at present. In fact, it gave him more. There had been complaints about men burned out by war service not being passed for pensions, but tho doctors were reasonable to-day and clearly recognised that some men broke down in health, not from any speciiic cause, but from tho result of war service.

The Rf. Hon. J. G. C'oates (Opposi-tion-—Kaipara) said there could bo no distinction between men who had served for longer or shorter periods. The bill should provide at least the amounts provided by the pensions of to-day and should liberalise income qualifications. .Many returned men now found it paid them better at the ago of to receive a pension under the civil old age pensions legislation than to rely on the war veterans' allowance, for which a lower income was allowed.

Plea for Liberality "This bill should liberalise returned soldiers' income allowances," said Mr. Coatos. "At present it gives tho returned soldier no more than every other citizen is able to receive. The returned men themselves have asked that the income maximum be raised and that they should still be allowed to take the war veterans' allowance."

Mr. Nash said that any soldier, if ho was in a state of health to justify it, could claim the ordinary benefits under the bill. Ho could, for instance, qualify for the invalidity, emergency or unemployment benefits, irrespective of his age. Returned soldiers were in mind when the bill was drafted and it afforded complete protection. Mr. CoatoS: I can't help thinking that the object is to absorb all the returned'soldiers' benefits into the bill as far as possible. Assurance by Minister Mr. Nash: That is not so. A bill will come before the House to-morrow which will deal with war pensions. "The men affected are asking for the maximum income qualifications to be raised," said Mr. Coates. "They have 110 desire to come under any Social Security Bill. They are entitled to more generous benefits."

A point was raised by the actingLeader of the House, the Hon. P. Eraser, that much of the discussion was out of order. This was disallowed by the Chairman of Committees, Mr. E. ,T. Howard, but after a debate lasting nearly two hours the clause was passed without division.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL [ill" TELEGiIAPII —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wodnesday The Legislative Council to-day read the following local bills a second time.— The Auckland Electric-Power Board Amendment .Mill, the Timaru Borough Empowering Hill, the Gcraldino County Hivor District Amendment Bill, the Ohai Railway Board Amendment Bill, and the Otago Harbour Board Empowering Bill. The Wellington City Empowering Amendment iiill and tho Opunako Harbour Board Bill were read a first time.