WAR FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2692, 11 February 1916, Page 6

WAR FUNDS

THE SCALE OF PAYMENTS

AUCKLAND'S PROPOSALS

NOT ENDORSED BY THE GOVERNMENT

A LIVELY DISPUTE

Correspondence lias recently passed between the Auckland War Relief Association and the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. U. \V. Russell) with regard to ■'certain proposed alterations iu the rules of the association (embodying the ■ scalo of payments), which it was desired to have incorporated under the provisions of.the War .Pensions Act, 1915. The Minister advised the Government to withhold its approval of the scale of payments in question, and the reasons for adopting this course he gave to a reporter yesterday.

In a letter ■rent somo flays ago in reply to the request of the Auckland Association, the Minister stated (as reported by the "Star"): "The Cabinet is of opinion that the maximum rates proposed to bo paid by your association iu eases of death and disablement do not represent the generous patriotism of the people of Auckland province in subscribing for the sick and wounded soldiers the very large sum which is held by the association. The rules provide that the maximum assistance which can be given to a widow is ss. per week, with Is. extra for each child. The Government recognises that the right of paying whatever the executive may think in necessitous cases rests absolutely with the executive. There is no desire to interfere with the administration of the fund, but at tho same time it is not prepared to state that such payments as those mentioned shall he the maximum. Tho Governen fc . suggests that the executive shall aflirm the principle that tliero he no maximum payment." Auckland's Protest. This matter having been fully considered by the Auckland executive (states the "Star"), the Mayor, Mr. G unson, is forwarding a reply in which ho states that for the purposes of illcorporation in the rules it has been decided to delete the clause relating to tho "maximum rate." "At tlio same time," lie proceeds, "the executive desires me to respectfully, yet emphatically, protest against the action of the Government in this matter."

The protest is based upon the ground of the Government's admission that the executive has the right to pay wliatc\er may be thought fit m necessitous cases. Such' payments were not maximum, and the schedule was adopted at a fully representative conference of provincial delegates. By the Minister's communication, the executive was confirmed .in its opinion that there was a uistinct tendency, on the part of the Government to lean upon the patriotic funds for the purpose of relieving the liability of the general taxpayer "inder the operations of tho Pensions Act. This, it is submitted, is wrong in principle.

''The Auckland executive is of opinion," the letter proceeds, "that the scale of payments v.nder the Act is quite liberal, but that- to date tho administration of the Act has in many instances been ungenerous. By the withdrawal of the schedule at your direction, the executive does not 'affirm tho principle' that tliera is no maximum payment. Your suggestion represents a policy which the Provincial Conference of Auckland delegates determined Bstainst, and which would be decidedly inimical to tlie fund, for it would causo a. Iflclc of uniformity m districts throughout the province." The Mayftr concludes by noting that tho Minister lias promised to recommend tho Governor to sign the documents for incorporatlon. MINISTER'S EXPLANATION. THE SCALE OF PROPOSED PAYMENTS. "I notice," said tho Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. G. W. Russell) to a reporter yesterday, "that the Mayor of Auckland has been complaining to tho newspapers regarding tli action of the Government in declining to approve of tho proposed scale of payments in supplementation of the State pensions. Under the "War Funds Act any patriotic society desiring incorporation by Order-in-Couucil is required to submit its rules for tho aproval of tlje Minister of Internal Affairs. Tho Auckland executive recently forwarded to me an application for approval, accompanied by their rules. A number of other patriotic societies have been incorporated, but this was tho first occasion on which a scale of payments from the patriotic fund had been submitted as part of the rules. Tho scale of payments was contained in a sccond schedule to the rules, and was further referred to in Rule 9, Sub-section K, as follows:— 'Tho executive may from time to time prescribe and at its discretion alter the maximum scale of allowances and payments from the association's fund, and 110 payment shall be made by any committee in excess of such scale without the prior consent of the executive. Tho scale set out in the second scheitulo hereto shall, until altered by the executive, be tho prescribed' scale of allowances and payments.' "No doubt the people of the Auckland district who have raised the magnificent sum of £385,000 for the sake 01 the soldiers and thoir dependants "/ill be hiterestod to learn what is tho Aticklaiiil executive's idea of the benefits, which would accrue" to the soldiers and their dependants from this splendid fund. The amounts are described as being in supplementation of State pensions in necessitous cases, and maximum rates in cases of death. "The rates are as follow: —"Wife, ss. per week; each child, Is. per week; maximum aggregate, 12s. per week. Thus, the Auckland executive's idea of I'upplementing the State pensions is that tlio maximum in the case of the widow and' seven children of a soldier who has lost his life for the country shall be the magnanimous sum of 12s. per week. The scale rises in beautiful giadations as follow"Widow of a corporal. os. 2d. per week; of a sergeant, sa. od.; of a sergeant-major, ss. lOd.; of a regimental sergeant-major, 65.; of a commissioned officer,' up to the rank of lieut.-colonel, Bs.; brigadier-generals, major-generals, commanders of the first and second-class or rear-admirals, 9s. The same amount of Is.' per week is provided for each child. Therefore, the widow and seven ■ children of a rear-admiral coming under tho Auckland maximum rates would receive a sum of ICs. per week. This from a fund of £385,000 provided for our soldiers! In Case of Disablement. "The second portion of the scale," proceeded the Minister, "deals with the maximum payable in the event of disablement. In the ranks, from private to sergeant-major, the payment in the case of i'he soldier disabled in service is 7s. per week. Another beautiful gradation is ; howover, observed in relation to their wives. Tho wife of a private starts with 2s, (3d., which increases with non-com-missioned ranks as follows:—Corporal, 7d.; sergeant. 2s. staft sor-

genu;, 2s. lid.; regimental sergeantmajor, 3s. The scale slides beautifully and must have demanded a profound cfon the part of tlio executive in order to reach, through all these gradations, to an increase of 6d. in tho filial wale!

"The wives of commissioned officers up to the rank of lieut.-colonel rise to 3s. Gel., and the wives of rear-admirals attain 4s. A uniform soale of Is. per weak for the children is maintained throughout. Tho maximum rates, no matter how large the families, are as follow: —Private, 165.; corporal, 16s. W. ; sergeant, 16s. Bd.; staff sergeant, IGs. lid.; regimental sergeant-major, 17s. The scale rises to 18s, for lieutenants, and to 19s. for the rear-admiral and his family. Cabinet's Decision. "Whon tho Auckland executive asked me as Minister of Internal Affairs to accept the responsibility of endorsing such a scale my mind 1 was at once made up. I referred tho matter to Cabinet, which promptly and unanimously directed mo to request the Auckland executive to eliminate this schedule from their rules. In writing to tliem I stated that the Government recognised that tho scale of payments v.as entirely within the jurisdiction of tho executive, but that tho Government declined to shoulder the responsibility of endorsing suclh a scalo as had been submitted. This, of course, is regarded by the Mayor (Mr. Gunson) as a very gross interference with the rights of the executive. His statement that the scale submitted'is not the maximum will not bear investigation, as will be seen liy the statements which I havo quoted from the rules. Sub-section Kof Rule 9 lays it down distinctly 'that tho ■scale submitted shall until altered by the executive be the prescribed scale of allowances and payments. 1 It is stated in the rules that these are maximum payments in necessitous cases. I wonder what would be Mr. Gunson 1 s idea ! of the minimum?" j

"I cannot believe," added the Minister, "that the scale which I have mentioned reflects the patriotism of the people of the provincial district of Auckland, who have given so magnificently to our sick and wounded soldiers. Tho liberality of the people of Auckland has been magnificent throughout. Not only the city, but the people of _ the out-districts. The great fund which they have established will stand for all time as a_ magnificent evidence of their patriotism and of their gratitude and recognition of our soldiers. To me it is, therefore, amazing that the executive should have invited the Government to give its endorsement to a set of lilies which cannot reflect, the patriotic generosity of the people whom they represent."