Penurious Pensioners.

NZ Truth, Issue 881, 14 October 1922, Page 1

Penurious Pensioners.

An effort is now being made to obtain an allowance for clothing, m addition to the ordinary pension, for returned soldiers who lost a limb m the Great War. "Truth" has formed a very decided opinion on this matter since its representative met a "limby" the other day with whom he was on service. This 'man was a blacksmith when he joined up, but, of course, finds his-old occupation - impossible. In fact, any laborious work is, owing to his physical disability, alike impossible. Here then is a man with his leg and. occupation gone, and whose .only income is a pension of 32s a week. When m the. limbless hospital, in England he learnt something of an occupation, which he might have pursued m civil life, and was, indeed, anxious to. However, he made the supreme blunder of following the advice of Government officials and allowing the Repatriation Department to secure the opening for him. Twelve months passed and the department wrote asking him if he was prepared to go on with the work. By that time he was sufficiently disgusted to literally say "to h with them," which, indeed, would not be a surprising attitude of mind for, any liivibless returned soldier receiving 32s a week to take up towards "everything m general. In the meantime he has been debarred from the light occupation mentioned by the passage some months ago of a law making a matriculation certificate a necessaryNqualification for entry. We say debarred, for surely no one would suggest that a man trained as a blacksmith, and a limbless returned soldier into the bargain, should study for. the matriculation m order to be allowed . the . privilege of commencing as an, apprentice. But what on earth is this man to do; more especially m these difficult days? As* a matter of fact, he does hot know himself. And 32s a week gives little joy to a man who deserves a lot. ,