NEW ZEALAND VETERANS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1536, 4 September 1912, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND VETERANS.

~ Sir,—The munificent gifts to political supporters in the past, which are now daily coming to ligiit, will account lor (lie Ward Ministry noc bang, in the hnancial position to grant the veterans of New Zealand the small annual pensions that they desired and were entitled to. In-anotlier ten years' time these veterans will be included along with tho Moa, as a thing.ot tho' past. Every day these fine, brave, old lellows, who fought for their homes in the early 'sixties, are dropping on , , one by one. And what has this country done for them? Within the last tew weeks Major Mair, Mr. Brewer, and Dr. Mussin, all well-known veterans, and many others have joined the great majority, and before another five years are over the tew who will then be enjoying the pension ■ that our present "truly Liberal and Democratic Government" has promised them, will be very nominal. A pound a week to many of these poor old men, dependent on their own daily toil, would assist them to pass the remainder of their lives in comparative comfort. Who is there outside the select precincts of the late Ward Ministry who would have •'gratuitously insulted these old fellows by endeavouring to convert a military pension into a benevolent allowance? Tho Massey Ministry havo stated what they will do. Many an old veteran, implicitly relying on the party now in power, is still bravely fighting the. troubles .of ebbing life buoyed up with the cjnaitt conviction that the Government have not forgotten, but are going shortly to re-wardthei.-past.-lam,etcsoKER _ oN>