WAR PENSIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27345, 22 March 1950, Page 6

WAR PENSIONS

Royal Commission FULL INQUIRY INTO POSITION . Suggestion By Southern RSA’s A request that a Royal Commission should be set up to review all pensions legislation and to recommend any amendments required to bring pensions in line with present-day conditions is contained in a remit from the Otago-Southland Returned Services’ Associations, which will be considered at the annual conference of the NZRSA. The remit also requests the headquarters of NZRSA to prepare a case to put before a commission if one is set up, and to invite war pensioners’ and amputees’ associations to co-operate. Mr K. W. Stewart reported at the meeting of the executive of the Dunedin RSA last night that Mr R. B. Bannerman, of Gore, the district vicepresident for Otago and Southland, had written to the Dominion Executive Committee of the NZRSA requesting that full information should be obtained concerning the effect of the proposed abolition of the present economic pension. Mr Stewart added that the abolition

of economic pensions was not the present policy of the RSA, but both Otago and Southland were in favour of this step. The inquiry suggested in the remit would involve the complete investigation- of the Pensions Act. Two earlier reviews had been carried out in 1923 and in 1930, both at times when the Dominion was in economic difficulties. Since then another war had been fought, and now the Dominion was enjoying social security and full employment, but there had been a big increase in the need for pensions. ::“It is essential that the RSA should request an overhaul of pensions legislation, but npt by persons who are at present concerned in the administration of the legislation,” Mr Stewart continued. “ There is provision now under the Pensions Act for an inquiry to be made at any time by a commission which would be' formed solely of officers of the Pensions Department, but this is not desirable. The purpose of the commission will be to examine the whole position from an unbiased point of view. A Royal Commission would mean that a judge of the Supreme Court would have to be the chairman, but this would perhaps not be necessary.” Mr Stewart said that the last commission that inquired into pensions had given its findings within four months of the start of the sitting. Time- would be a factor in the matter, and there should be a minimum of delay. There would be no necessity for the commission to go from town to town. The president, Mr D. L. Wood, said that Otago and Southland were advocating something which would be a great departure from the present •policy of the RSA. Mr W. P. Wellington, suggested that administrators of pensions should be included in the personnel of the commission, but Mr Wood said that administrators usually had their minds made up on set lines. It was possible, however, that a representative would appear on the commission, and in any case the Pensions Department could give evidence, together with the RSA. The remit was adopted. Others present were Miss E. N. Wilson and Messrs N. G. Stewart. W. E. Eamshaw, H. H. Parata, B. H. Wilkinson and S. L. Wilson.