WAR PENSIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11248, 28 June 1922, Page 4

WAR PENSIONS

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY TO CONSIDER REVISIONS IN PBB SENT SCHEDULE. PRELIMINARY STEPS. The Government has decided to set up a commission to inquire into tho necessity for a revision of soldiers’ pensions and of oilier matters relating to the administration of the War Pensions Act. It is proposed to appoint- a magistrate as chairman of the commission, and the Minister (Sir R. Heaton Rhodes) is in communication with the Minister for Justice as to whether It is possible for the services of a senior magistrate to he made available for the purpose. Messrs M. H. S. Moorhouse and A. Mclntosh have been asked if they are willing to act as the other members of the commission. Steps are being taken to have the necessary order of reference drawn up, and it has been suggested tentatively that the commission should meet in Wellington on Monday, July 3rd, to determine its procedure, etc. Messrs D- S. Smith and D. J. B. Seymour have been engaged by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers* Association to conduct the case for the association. The appointment- of the commission is welcomed by the Returned Soldiers’ Association, which has long advocated that some such inquiry should be held into the present pensions schedule, and into a number of anomalies which it has frequently drawn attention toPOINTS FOR INQUIRY. 75 PER CENT. INCREASE ASKED FOR. The most important points the com. mission will be asked to inquire into are set out as follow: — (1) An increase of 75 per cent, in the pensions of soldiers With children; of widowed mothers whose sons were their sole support; and of disabled boldiers with a greater disability than 50 per cent. —At present the pension payable to a widow with children is 40s per week; a widowed mother whose son wus her sole support is entitled to 30s per week; while « badly disabled soldier receives 40s per week. Owing to the decreased purchasing power of the sovereign since these rates were decided upon, the N.Z.R.S.A. maintains that an increase of 75 per cent, on the above rates is required to compensate for the rise in the cost- of living. (2) A clothing allowance for men wearing mechanical appliances.— Owing to the year and tear of leg appliances the extra cost of clothing to leg amputees is considerable. The association asks that a grant be made to such men to compensate for the extra expense involved in the purchase of clothing(3) Non-inclusion of pension money for income tax purposes.—The association maintains that this dearly-earned money should not he taxed.

(4) Alteration of the pensions law, allowing pensions to widows who cannot prove pre-war engagement.—-The association asks that all widows of men who died |from Snonrred during the war shall be eligible for pension, irrespective of whether she was engaged to the soldier before the war or not.

(5) Reciprocal arrangement between the Justice and Pensions Departments regarding ex-soldiers who break the law.—Several soldiers have been punished twice for the same offence—first by a magistrate and secondly by the Pensions Department reducing their pensions. (6) Attributability of (a) death to war service and (b) a second disability upon war disability. (7) The constitution of a new pensions appeal board to consider appeals on economic grounds in addition to medical appeals. (8) The wife and child to receive a pension 'payable in respect of death of the husband at any time, not only within seven years of receipt of wounds or injury.