WAR PENSIONS ACT

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9211, 3 December 1915, Page 7

WAR PENSIONS ACT

AMENDMENT SUPPORTED NOVEL SUGGESTION MADE BV MR WILFORD. LEGISLATION BY CIRCULAR. Mr R. Fletcher, M.P., has received further letters supporting his call for a short session,of Parliament to amend the War Pensions . Act. HEARTIEST CO-OPERATION. Mr John Payne, M.P., promises his heartiest co-operation and support. “I beg (says. Mr Payne) to acknowledge receipt of your circular letter regarding the necessity for calling Parliament together at an early date in order that the Pensions Act may be so amended as to do full justice for soldiers and their dependents. ' I quite agree with you when you say that the spirit and intent of tho Legislature are not being” given effect to. We can hardly expect any great show of on thusiasm about recruiting in connection with those eligible to serve, if we continue to treat soldiers and soldiers’ dependents in the manner in which they are .being treated. “1 need hardly say that you. will have my heartiest co-operation and support in your endeavours to get full justice meted out to our brave men who have been crippled at the front and to the dependents of those who have so honourably fallen in the defence of the Empire.” , MANAWATU PATRIOTIC SOCIETY PROMISES SUPPORT. ■ ' Mr John Permain (secretary of the Manawatu Patriotic Society) writes; “I beg to confirm the wire forwarded you on Saturday last by the Mayor—,‘Our society passed resolution last evening heartily supporting your proposal reference to pension, trusting your efforts are successful.’ “It is almost unnecessary to inform you that your letter was received most favourably by every member of the society present, and that the subject matter contained in your letter will receive every support of tho society.”. , MR T. M. WILFORD’S REPLY. A novel suggestion is put forward by Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P. It practically amounts to legislation by circular. . “Here is my reply to your circular,” he writes: “1 do not credit the ‘live-figure’ expense, mentioned in the Press, of calling Parliament together. I think, however, there may be another way out, and here is my suggestion: It will cost very little for the Premier to circularise members immediately,, asking for their, telegraphed consent to an enlargement of the' powers of tho Pensions Board, in order that'full justice may be done to all. The Pensions Board is hampered by the wording ,of the Act, or regulations which it has to work under. Let the board inform the Premier what extra legislative power is required in order that there may be justice to nil, and then a circular to members-asking for that power will, be, I am certain, unanimously granted, - consent !ng thereto,’ and ’ Parliament can; when assembled next year, make good the acts of the board and authorise the* payments made beyond the scope of the Act and'regulations. This is an ; exceptional time, and exceptional steps must be taken if they are deemed necessary, even if such steps have to he sanctioned later on. Let us remember that such a course as I suggest is not without precedent. Hay I say that New Zealand is running part of its share of this great war by the extraordinary method of public subscriptions, and need not hesitate to employ the method I now suggest, even if it is an extraordinary one.” “SUCH SERIOUS COMPLAINTS.” The above is the phrase that Mr A. H. Hindmarsh. M.P., applies to the complaints against the , ' Pensions Board. “Unless.” ho writes, “the Government can arrange for a better provision for the applicants to the Pensions Board without calling Parliament together, I think that Parliament should be convened as soon ns possible to deal with the matter, as it seems most inadvisable from every point of view that such serious complaints should go unremedied.”