WAR PENSIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17097, 31 August 1917, Page 2

WAR PENSIONS

WORK OF BOARD. DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. A lively discussion on the work of the War Pensions Board occurred in the Houee on Wednesday. It was alleged by several members that the board, fair and just as its decisions might be generally, was not infallible, and they urged that a pensions appeal board should be set up. One or two members said that the members of the board were becoming callous in dealing with applicants. Sir James Allen gave a. very ' emphatic repudiation to the suggestion' that tho War Pensions Board had become callous. He made the statement, deliberately that as the days wont by the board had become more and move liberal. Hundreds of cases had been reconsidered, anct more liberal pensions given to the applicants. They were straining the law by granting pensions which perhaps ought not to be granted, so that the charge of callousness could not be sustained against members. Reference had been made to the conunissioner. He did not know whether hon. members knew Mr Fache. Mr Lee: A most painstaking officer. Sir James Allen : He is a great deal more than a painstaking officer. I have never met a man with deeper sympathies than Mr Fache. and it is very largely owing to his care and consideration in dealing with applicants- that the administration of the Act has been so liberal. He had very carefullv considered the question of appointing an appeal board and he ventured to s say that if an appeal board was set up the administration of the Act could not be" so generous as it was jiow. The Pensions Board had not stuck closely to the letter of the law, but an appeal board would have to etick rigidly to tho Act. He also wished to say that if a schedule of rates for particular industries w«< included in tho Bill on the scale of the English Act the pensioners : n t-hie country would have to suffer.

Mr Loo:" Wo don't ask for a schedule. An Hon. Member: But the Second Divi sion has.

Sir James x\]]on said that under tho -present arrangement a higher percentage was allowed for injuries than would be allowed under r. schedule. He had an open mind on the matter, and tho House would have an opportunity of saying whether a schedule should be nut in. He gave this opinion to tho House in order that members might consider the question. One of tho clauses to bo inserted in the Bill would bo a clear statement that a man would not have his peueion reduced because of any money he might earn.—(" Hear., hear.") ' Every man must bo encouraged to work, and' every man must bo given a certain assurance that he would' not bo penalised in loss of his pension by earning money for himself