V.D. SUFFERERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17079, 7 July 1926, Page 4

V.D. SUFFERERS.

DEPRIVATION OF PENSIONS. PLEA FOR CONSIDERATION. (Parliamentary Reporter.' WELLINGTON, this day. “Don't wait till these men arc dead. Let its do something for them while they are alive,” said Mr. A. Harris, Waitemata, in urging that returned soldiers suffering with venereal disease should not be- left to .suffer without assistance of any kind. Not only had the Government denied these, men pensions: they had also denied them treatment. The reason advanced was that the disease tvas nob due to war service. “That is not what one would expect from the Parliament of New Zealand,” said Air. Harris. “It is no uso shutting our eyes to the fact that these men were brought to their present unfortunate- position by reason ot' the fact that they went to light- overseas. (Hear, Hear, from Labor benches). They left New Zealand in good health. We should not seek to evade our responsibilities by arguing that these men brought their condition on themselves.” The Minister of Defence, tHo Hon. J. C. Eolleston, replying to the member for Waitemata, stated that there were not many venereal disease eases, and in any event their consideration was barred by a clause in the Act, which staled that if there was wilful misconduct a pension was not obtainable. “Why not alter the Act?” asked a member. The Minister replied that the term “wilful misconduct” occurred in the Workers’ Compensation Act, so (hat if it were struck out it would cause wide complies!ions.