REPORT WELL RECEIVED

Taranaki Daily News, 16 May 1930, Page 16

REPORT WELL RECEIVED

SOLDIERS’ REHABILITATION.' COLONEL HALL’S REVIEW. General satisfaction with the recommendatibno of the report' of the ExSoldiete’ Rehabilitation Commission

was expressed by the president of the ’ Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association (Colonel G. T. Hall, C.M.G., C. 8.), in an interview with a representative of the Post. “Returned soldiers will, I feel sure, be practically unanimous /in the opinion that the report presented by the commission is one that is practicable and commendable for the fair and equitable spirit in which the case is presented,” said Colonel Hall. “The report is of a very high standard, and returned men will appreciate it to the fullest extent. Many matters contained in the report have been under consideration by Returned Soldiers’ Associations for years past, and the conferences of delegates from associations have discussed many important pointe, notably the right of widows and dependents of soldiers to state their case- and the abolition of a time limit in regard to soldiers’ widows or dependents who were mar-ried-after discharge. The recomm nidations of the commission that the time limit should be abolished, and that where the soldier has married when m a reasonable state of health ( "lie widow’s case is a proper one for a pension, are, in my opinion, sound and equitable, as is * the recommendation that the proviso in the War Pensions Act, 1917, whereby certain wives are recognised as dependents but c-n tccomintr widows lose that status, and become "entitled to a small gratuity, :s wrong in principle and should be abolished. The recommendation that the age limit of veterans of the South African War and ’ the Great War for oidage neustons should be reduced to sixty years is a sound proposition. It is o.ily those who are in close touch with returned men who know, and can appreciate, the ravages that have been made in the constitution of those who saw service in the field and the consequent lowering of their vitality. “I also consider that the decision ; of the commission not to recommend a service pension regardless of health or financial position to all men who saw service in the South African War is sound. This is not necessary, and if given effect to would also have to apply to soldiers in the Great War. Briefly the Dominion’s finances could not stand such a charge. The case of mental patients is a very difficult and delicate one, but I see no reason in giving benefits to, say, a married T.B. man with dependants, and not giving the same privileges to a mental patient of the same married category; and I trust that the recommendation to abolish all distinction will be given effect to. In regard to ‘attributability,’ disablement is limited to seven years, but to-d?y we have scores of men breaking down probably through war service, and it is unthinkable that such a large-hearted and o-enerous country such as ours is should limit the time, as I venture to affirm tha’b as time goes on the cases offering where valuable evidence can be produced will very rapidly increase. I therefore quite agree that the recommendation to abolish the time limit is sound. I am also of the opinion that the medical reports in appeal cases should be nerused by secretaries of returned soldiers’ ■ associations. It is the practice in Britain to supply two copies as a right, and it would only be fair to do so in New Zealand. “The recommendation that a Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment League be set up is probably the most important; part of a very valuable report. In my opinion thiA should be done as. early 1 as possible. Committees formed in the large centres would be able to link up i with the main organisation, and would then be able by first-hand, knowledge to consider all matters of importance in regard to disablement. * ] “Finally, as the annual conference , of the N.Z.R.S.A. will take place in , June, and the most important business will be the consideration of the report, it would be well to defer final i judgment until such time as the representatives of returned men from all f over, New Zealand give their final verdict.-”