QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE

Chronicle (Levin), 5 March 1948, Page 4

QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE

Levm RlA.'s Views On Kl.P.'sPensionSclieme Raised on the receipt of % letter from the Wanganui branch of the R.B.A., the -question !of the recently inaugurated Parliamentary superannuation scheme was the subject of oomment at •Wedne'sday night's meeting of the Levin br'anch of tlie R.S.A. The Wanganui branch sought to obtain the •support of returned meh in Levin tn a, strong prot'est at the action of the poli-1 ticians. The letter stated that *a r^solution had previously • beeri ■sent to the Dominion executive by the Wanganui branch, but it had not been -gone ©n .with as the executive considere'd it to be a .pOiitical question, and consequently not one for 'discussion by the association, The resolution road: "That this branch of the Returned Serviees' Association .protests against recent onactments by which the Government has granted to members of Parliament a superannuation

scheme allowing members up to £400 on retirement. It is felt strongly by this . association that war pensioners, who have been disabled or crippled in the service of their country, and are physically debarred from earning* any udditional remunei'ation, should receive jso much less than a member "of Parliament, who may retire trom I politics after only nine years of I service with a superannuation in jexcess of a disabled war veteran. By this superannuation • scheme, I the % Government has given its ! assessment of the service of .a war veteran, The re'ward of a soldier crippled in ;action in the face of enemy fire has 'been determined -by the Government as less than that. of a politician -discredited and disj missed by the electors after nine ! years' service in the House.' This j may be the opinion of the Government, but the executive feels that ! it is not the opinion of the people Jof New Zealand, and records its i protests at an action which can be ! interpreted as nothing but ah insult to the war veterans o'f this country." "-As I see it, there are a lot of things with which we might not agree as iirdividuals, but as an R.S.A. . disagreement would be merely a waste of time," commented the president, Mr. N. M Thomson.; "We are being asked to condemn one of many things which might not 'have; our approval. As far, as the question of it being a matter of party politics,, that 4s r for you to decide. rf we deci'de tha't it. is not, then . we ean 'discuss it, )but lf we consider it is, then .imd'er 'our ,i'ules we can not* discuss -it fuffcher. Persqnally, I th-ink it is nota quesr. tion .involving party politics, -if all M,P.'s combine to de'cide on.'some-' suit tbenis.elves,'I consider that matter is not political and therefore, open to discussion. However, I do not think it-is a matter we shoul-d discuss.- * '- "What should concern us is! whether we think our disabled men f are getting enough. if the mem-" oers of Parliament are going to.give ' themselves £400 per annum, -then why do they not increase the .pen-' sions to our boys. If we decide to'

• • : i !•/ ; i take.that attitude,' then this resolutfon wilItprovi.de- us with excpllent ainmunition to do so." Suppprtjng Mr. Thomson, Mr. H. B. Burciekin said that he heartily endorsed his view. In 'due course a .remit covering incre.ased pensions. Woiild be coming forward, . so he considered that diseussion on that subject should be held over meanWhile.- . , ... " P.ut to ,vote, a motion that no action be taken on the letter from Wanganui was carried.