VETERANS & THE PENSION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1781, 20 June 1913, Page 4

VETERANS & THE PENSION.

A CONTRAST IN LETTERS. As an instance of the expedition which is being shown by tho Pensions Department in granting tho military pension, the Minister for Pensions (tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) cites the following letter from an old volunteer officer:— "I dosire to congratulate your Department upon tho satisfactory settlement of a pension which was made somo time ago. The claimant for tho pension was an ex-sergeant of the 57th Regiment, who served- through the Maori war. He was TG years of age, and, being well known to mo, I interested myself in the matter of his military pension. Tho promptitude that was shown by the Department in granting it was in every way worthy of tho highest commendation. I called on tho Commissioner at his office and obtained tho necessary form, which was completed on tho oveniut of that day, Tho next morning I handed it in, and the same morning received back a warrant for tho pension, payable on tho first of every month. Since then the recipient has died, and I am glad to say that tho balance of his pension was paid over to his widow within three days of his death. I think an instance of such business-like expedition on tho part of a Government Department is worthy of mention." Tho Minister remarked that the foregoing letter was written in quite n difterent spirit to another letter which ho received from a pensioner who complained that his pension was not paid to him until he asked for it. "Tho asking, said Mr. Fisher, "seemed to hurt his dignity very much. This particular veteran termed to have an idea that tho Pensions Department should find out where he lived and then chaso him with tlio pension. However, now ho has got it, and is quito happy." ■