AFTER THE WAR

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21155, 3 July 1940, Page 9

AFTER THE WAR

SERVICEMEN’S INCOMES BILL INTRODUCED IN HOUSE GUARANTEE OF EMPLOYMENT (By Telegraph.—special to Times) WELLINGTON, Tuesday The Soldiers’ Guarantee Bill, which provides guarantees of provision for New Zealand servicemen in the three branches of service for five years after the war, was introduced in the House of Representatives tonight by Mr J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour—Grey Lynn) and was read a first time. Mr Lee requested that the measure be proceeded with at the next sitting day. The bill provides that soldiers, sailors and airmen shall be guaranteed five years’ employment on their return to New Zealand, for deferred payments for the period of war service, and for a review of pensions in certain conditions. The schedule sets it out that the soldier after his return to New Zealand should be guaranteed employment for not less than five years at standard rates of pay in the trade to which he was accustomed, or at not less than £5 a week. Making Up Normal Pay It is proposed that the daily difference between the average adult income of men employed in New Zealand and the soldier’s daily rate of pay shall be computed and be credited to each soldier in proportion to his length of service with the forces, and that these deferred credits shall be realisable in 20 equal quarterly amounts issued or credited to each soldier on his return to New Zealand. For this purpose no addition is to be made to the soldier’s rate of pay for food or uniform and no reduction is to be made for rehabilitation gratuity. Review of Pensions The bill provides that the basic soldier’s pension shall be subject to periodic and automatic review in the event of any increase in the cost of living or any imp rovement in general living’ standards. No disqualification for pension of a deceased or disabled soldier’s wife or widow and children is to occur on account of the date of the soldier’s marriage. Any soldier who is a civil servant, it is stipulated, shall, on re-employ-ment, be entitled to any increased emoluments that would have been added to his pre-war wage had he not been accepted for service overseas. The bill makes provision for the issue of a bond to every soldier prior to embarkation granting these conditions, and the measure is to be read in conjunction with any other relevant Acts passed with reference to the present war with Germany, so long as it does not prevent a soldier from receiving any greater benefits to which he would be entitled under any other Act.