PENSIONS APPEALS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17441, 13 April 1931, Page 6

PENSIONS APPEALS

INDEPENDENT TRIBUNAL “ABOLITION A DISASTER” GISBORNE' ITS. A. STAND Tin l proposals now afoot 10 abolish the War Tensions Appeal Board, and establish some other means ot dealing with eases 01 the type loe which the board was appointed, have been strongly opposed oy the New Zealand Ii.S.A. and uy its various branches, the value of the work done by the appeal board in the past, and its prospective value in the juture, being regarded as far in advance of anything that could have been, or could he, expected of a. permanent departmental organisation. '1 he Gisborne branch of the N.Z.It.S.A. touches on this matter in its annual report, now being circulated to members of the branch, in the following terms: — “'l’liQ two major problems facing the New Zealand association in. the coming year, particularly in view of the economic situation, are : (1) Efforts to have the recommendations of the Rehabilitation Commission brought into ettect, and (2) the combating bv all possible means ot efforts now being made to abolish the War Pensions Appeal Board. _ A precis of t lie findings oi the commission lias been furnished to members, and certain legislation has already been placed on the statute book, based on some of these iindiiigs. It. remains to bring the legislation into operation. “The abolition of the War Pensions Appeal Board would bo a disaster, and, economy reasons notwithstanding, must lie opposed by all ex-service men to the last ditch. Reference to our own pensions cases, made elsewhere in this report. will show (he Value of the hoard; ior out of 11 eases turned flown by the Pensions Department, seven appeals wore lodged, oi: which live, were successlul. These appeals must he determined bv an independent tribunal, and not by a’ departmental office. Our own results show the reason for this plainly.”

Reference to the excellent work of the Oishorne JEN.A. secretary, Air. W. Oakden. in regard to pension claims is made in the report, which mentions that by applications for pensions have passed through his hands in the past year, 54 being fully investigated and the balance being now under examination. In 15 eases, the evidence was not conclusive, and. Die applicants were advised not to proceed, and the remaining 29 investigated eases were submitted to the department. Of these, 15 have been allowed, 11 have been disallowed, and the other 15 are now awaiting the department’s decision. In respect of the II disallowed claims, seven appeals were presented to the War Pensions Appeal Hoard, and five were won by the association mi behalf of the applicants. One case is still before the Appeal Hoard, and one lias been definitely turned clown. The report acknowledges the tine assistance extended by the national headquarters and by the Auckland association in bringing appeals before the hoard, and also records the fact that both the metropolitan bodies have commented on the exhaustive nature of the evidence afforded with the applications. This evidence is collected by the Gisborne ITS.A. secretary, at the expense of much time and some travelling, but Die results are considered well worth the trouble involved, especially in those cases which had to be taken before the Appeal Board.