WAR PENSIONS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 05, Issue 80, 20 July 1942, Page 5

WAR PENSIONS

PROPOSALS BY THE R.S.A. MANY PHASES DISCUSSED The establishment oT two additional war pensions boards, one at Auckland and the other at Christchurch for the South Island, was urged at the annual meeting of the Dominion Council of the New Zealand Returned Services Association. Mr R. G. Mason (Auckland) referred to the great and increasing volume of work devolving on the present board, and said that the delay in dealing with applications would be even more marked as more men returned from the Avar. Mr W. E, Leadlcy (Wellington) said the best solution Avould be to set up a separate board for the home scr\ T ice men, and later, if necessary, to increase the personnel of the present War Pensions Board and divide it, so as to ensure uniformity of policy. Replying to one speaker, Mr O. L. Fercns (Dune-din) declared: "The N.Z.R.S.A. is so powerful that no Government would ever dream of wiping out the War Pensions Board" The meeting also decided to ask that the question of.the maximum amounts payable as economic and dependants' pensions should be decided upon from time to time by arbitration, the arbitrators to be

two R.S.A. appointees and two Government appointees under the chairman oi* the War Pensions Appeal Board, the basic figures for their deliberations being those of the Bartholomew Commission of 1923, when the economic pension was fixed at 30s. Scale For War Widows There Avas general agreement that all A\ r ar Avidows' pensions should be rated on the same scale, irrespective of their late husband's rank, in place of the present scale ranging from 30s for a private's widow to £3 10s for a general's widow. It Avas decided to ask for increases in the present rates based on the number of children and the age of the pensioner. Extension of the present pension scheme for men suffering accident or sickness Avhilc training for overseas sendee or on home service was recommended Avith the proviso that immediately men on Territorial service or home defence Avere made liable for overseas service, the pension proAisions for overseas training should apply to them. '.. Considerable attention was given to the question of Avar neurosis and the importance of early, adequate investigation and treatment, as emphasised in an article in the "N.Z. Medical Journal" by Captain A. C. Clouston, N.Z.M.C. The association's headquarters Avere urged to give earnest consideration to Dr. Clouston's recommendations, one of which Avas that Avhere hospital treatment A\ r as necessary, such men should be placed in small hospitals quite dissociated from any suggestion of mental hospital routine, or in sections of a general hospital specially set aside for them.

"Bestt in the World" A paragraph in the report of a special pensions committee set up at last year's council meeting stated: "Your committee is of the opinion that the existing pension system, while not perfect, is, on the whole, the best system in the world. After a full investigation, it is of the opinion that there are not the numerous anomalies in the pension legislation which many ex-service-men seem to think." The meeting placed on record its warm appreciation of the work of the committee under Mr C. O. Bell (Wellington). The Dominion president, the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C., said that it had done a job second to none.