WAR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2628, 25 November 1915, Page 6

WAR PENSIONS

AN EARLY '.SESSION?

Nino replies were received by Mr. R. Fletcher, M.P., yesterday,..to his circular letter to members, of Parliament requesting them to join him in petitioning .the-Government to call an early session of Parliament for the purpose of amending the War Pensions Act. Four of the replies were from Ministers. The Prime Minister wrote acknowledging receipt of the letter, and promising 011 behalf of the Government that the question would have "careful consideration." The Hons. A. L. Herdman-, ,W. H. -Hemes, and W. Fraser sent similar acknowledgments, promising to consider the requests. The'other replies, all of which were definitely in favour of the proposal, some enthusiastically bo, came "from Messrs. G. T. A. H. Field, J. T. M. Hornsby, Dr. Thacker. and Dr. Newman.

Replying to a question addressed to him on the subject by a reporter vesterday, the Prime Minister said that the question of calling a special session of Parliament to deal with the War Pensions Act had not been considered bv Cabinet. ..-'''. 4 424 APPLICATIONS TO DATE. Up to November 16, 424, applications for war pensions had ben received—lo6 from soldiers and 318 from dependants. Of the former, 22 applicants-had been granted pensions, and 23 ' declined, 41 applicants had been granted allowances, and of the balance of the applications 12.had been adjourned and 8 were'still on hand.

Of the 318 dependant applicants, 200 had been granted pensions, one an allowance, and 33 -had been declined. Of the remaider, 9 had been adjourned and 75 were still on hand.

Tho annual value of the 222 pensions granted amounted to £10,743—an average pension of £48. Tho temporary allowances which were granted in the,42 cases-mentioned were for a total amount of £1063.