WAR PENSIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9091, 9 July 1915, Page 6

WAR PENSIONS

THE NEW SCALE GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSALS BEFORE PARLIAMENT. The War Pensions Bill was introduced by Governor’s Message in the House of Representatives yesterday. The measure has twenty-two clauses, and deals in a comprehensive way with the provision of pensions for members of the expeditionary forces and their dependents. The scale on which pensions are to be payable is set forth in the schedule to the bill.

The pensions are to be paid from the Consolidated Fund, and the right to a pension in respect of the death of a soldier is to extend to the wife and children if death occurs within seven years of the receipt of a wound or injury, or the commencement of the disease, provided that the death is due to the original wound, injury, or disease.

A War Pensions Board, appointed by the Minister for Defence, is to determine the rates of pensions and other questions that may arise. The board is to take into consideration any evidence that may exist regarding wilful misconduct on the part of the soldier during his period of service. The claims of the wife and children to a pension are to have precedence oyer tne claim of any other dependent. aVliere a wife or children are entitled to a pension the amount paid to any other dependent must not exceed three-fourths of the pension prescribed for a wife; and where no wife or children are so entitled the amount paid to any other. dependent must not ex-

coed the amount of the pension prescribed for a wifo. A pension to the wife of deceased member of the forces is to cease upon her remarriage, but in that case she may receive a gratuity not exceeding two years’ pension,. An orphan child may be paid double the rate ordinarily prescribed (or a child. A boy will cease to draw a pension at the age of sixteen years, but a girl’s pension may be continued until the age of seventeen yeans is attained. A pension payable to any child suffering from mental or bodily infirmity may bo continued indefinitely at the discretion of the board.

In determining the rate of pension payable to any member of the forces the,board will take into consideration “any payment by way of compensation, pension or gratuity to which the. member may be entitled under any Act or Imperial Act, but shall not take into' consideration any other property or income to which the member is entitled.” The board is to take into consideration property or income from_,all sources in the cases of dependents. THie board may review its decisions in the event of the circumstances of a pensioner being altered.

Pensions are to be payable as from the date of death, or from the date of discharge in- the case of disablement. A pension is to lie absolutely inalienable, but it may be suspended or withdrawn by the board if the pensioner is convicted of any offence “punishable by imprisonment for three months or upwards and dishonouring him in the public estimation.” Persons who are guilty of making false representations in connection with claims or pensions are to be liable to a fine of £IOO or to imprisonment for twelve montjjs. Pensions are not to be payable except to persons resident in New Zealand. The schedules may be summarised as follows, the rate in every case being per week. The rate for a child is 5s in every case: —

MAXIMUM RATES IX CASE OF DEATH. To the Maximum Wife. Aggregate. £ 6. d. £ s. d. Private, Bombardier, Lance-Corporal, Trooper, Gunner, Driver, 1 5 0 3 0 0 Comora!. Farrier. Shoeing-smith, Saddler, or litter ..... 1 6 0 3 3 O Sergeant. Farrier-corporal, Corporal, •oorai. Comorale-fitter. Farrier-sergeant. baddler-eergeant, Armourer-sergoant, Sergeant-titter, Lanc_e-borgea.ut 1 7 0 3 0 Souadion. Battery, or Company Sergeant-major 9 3 8 Sergeant. Colonr-Sargennt. Staff Sergeant. iay-oieiK Ser0 0 Regimental Sergeant-maj>r, Reg.mtntal Quartermaster 1 10 0 3 9 0 ............ 0; 0 0 3 16 0 2 5 0 4 3 0 2 12 0 4 12 0 T i- j, 1| 3 1 0 5 3 0 3 3 0 5 5 c 3 5 o 5 9 0 MAXIMUM RATES IX CASE OF DISABLEMEXT. Maximum Soldier. Wife.. Aggregate. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ 5. d. Private, Bombardier, Lance-Corporal, Trooper, Gunner, Driver, Sapper, Trumpeter, Bugler 15 0 12 0 6 3 0 0 Corporal, Farrier, Shoeing-smith, Saddler, ISO 0 13 0 3 3 0 Sergeant, Farrier-Corporal, Shoeing-smith Corporal, Saddler-Corporal, Corporalfilter. Farrier-sergeant, Saddier-ser-g-eant, Armourer-sergeant, Sergeantfitter, Lance-Sergeant 17 0 U 13 6 3 6 0 Squadron, Battery, or Company SergeantMajor, Quartermaster-Sergeant, Col- . our-Sergeant, Staff Sergeant, Pay-clerk o 0 19 0 0 M o 8 Regimental Sergeant-Major, Regimental 1 10 6 15 0 3 9 0 Quartermaster-Sergeant 0 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant 1 15 0 0 17 6 3 16 0 2 0 0 2 7 0 2 16 0 2 18 0 i i i i 0 3 8 9 0 6 0 0 4 3 4 12 5 3 5 5 0 0 0 0 Brigadier-General, Major General 3 0 0 1 10 0 5 9 c