The herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26, 1917. MEETING THE POSITION.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 5851, 26 September 1917, Page 4

The herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 26, 1917. MEETING THE POSITION.

According to the figures supplied, showing the aggregate amount of the proposed increases in pensions and allowances, it is apparent that a serious effort is being made t-o meet the demands for adequate provision for disabled soldiers and for dependents. In the absence of details of the d 1 stribntioin it is not possible to approve or condemn, but the large sum involved supports the presumption that a. fair measure of justice ,is to bo done to the dependents of soldiers and to the heroes who return urj lined. It is a, reasonable contention that under no system can absolute equality lie preserved, and it is equally sound to argue that the trinity of the country to bear a heavy war .impost bias a. limit. The key to tho situation, submitted by a Wellington paper, “is to l>e found in fixing moderate separation allowances which apply to all, and in the admiu.istriutV>n of the existing special financial re.Tietr provisions (with perhaps some extension, which akini t of a sliding adjustment. With proper safeguards there should ho no reason why the great majority of soldhers’ homes should not he kept going ill. their (existing state. The only ones who would suffer would he those drawing high salaries, whose cast's it would be impossible for tho Statd to meet. The success of such provisions, of course, depends upon the •nldm n istmt.ion, n.nd to those not yet affected it is not unreasonable to suppose that they will ask to be given guarantees in that direction. It is for Cabinet and Parliament to say wliether this should not bo g vc i

by guaranteeing the palymeiit of rent! j at least in such proportion as i n each ease, the combined 1 pay and separation, allowances do not exceed the sold- j iers’ pre-service income Or the l.mit ffxed ini the aggregate pay, separation allowance®, and special financial as«i stiamcie provisions.’ ’ To ensure the fullest confidence it s suggested that a. repimsentative of the Second Division League should be appointed, to the Financial Assistance Board, j