SOLDIERS’ PENSIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18592, 28 June 1922, Page 7

SOLDIERS’ PENSIONS

ROYAL COMMISSION TO BE SET UP. MATTERS TO BE INQUIRED INTO. (Pn U kited Fbus Asbooiatiom.) WELLINGTON, June 27. The Government has decided to set up a Commission to inquire into the necessity for the' revision of soldiers’ pensions and other 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 of Justice as to whether it is possible for the services of a senior magistrate to be made available for the purpose. Messrs W. H. S. Moorhouse and A. MTn- ’ tosh have been naked 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. It has been suggested tentatively that the Commision should meet in Wellington on Monday July 3. to determine its procedure, etc. ’ A Messrs D. S. Smith'and D. J. D. Seymour have been engaged by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association to conduct the case for the association. The appointment, of the Commisaion 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 the number of anomalies which it has frequently drawn, attention to. The most • important points which the Commission will be asked to inquire into are set out as' follows: — (1) An increase of 75 per cent, in the pensions of soldiers with children, widowed mothers whose sons were their sole support, and disabled soldiers 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 was her sole support is entitled to 30s per week, while a badly disabled soldier receives 40s per week. Owing to the decreased purchasing power’of the sovereign since the rates wore decided upon the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association maintains that an increase of 75 per cent, an above rates is required to compensate for the rise in' the cost of living. (2) As the clothing allowance _ for men wearing mechanical appliances, owing to the wear and tear of the leg appliances and the extra cost of clothing for leg amputees, is considerable, the association asks that the grant be made to ?uch men so as to compensate for the extra expense involved in the purchase of clothing. (3) Nou-inclusion of pension money far income tax purposes.—The association maintains that dearly earned money should not be 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 disabilities incurred during the war shall be eligible for a pension, irrespective tf whether she was engaged to the soldier before the war or not. (5) Reciprocal arrangements between the Justice and Pensions Departments regarding ex-soldicrs who break the law.—Several soldiers have been punished twice for the same offence, first by a magistrate; secondly by the Pensions Department reducing their pensions. (6) Attributability of (a) . Death to war service; (b) 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) Wife and child to receive pensions payable with respect to the death of a husband at any time, not only within seven years from the receipt of wounds or injury.