PENSIONS DECLINED

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2880, 19 September 1916, Page 6

PENSIONS DECLINED

WHAT ARE THE REASONS 1

A FEW RANDOM CASES

In the announcements made from time to time of the work of the War Pensions Board, it may be noted that always a certain number of applications are declined. Some people may bo interested to know what the reasons are for refusal in these cases. For only two reasons can a soldier's claim bo refused—that he is quite well or that ho did not contract his injuries or sickness while on service with the forces. One of the applications declined last iveck was from a man discharged from camp suffering from sciatica. The board was not satisfied that tho sciatica was a new complaint in this man, or that ho had contracted it as a result of his life in camp. Another man, returned from Egypt be* cause of hernia (of -which he is now cured), claimed in respect of alleged' weak eyes. This complaint was not mentioned in his medical papers, and tho board did not think tho ease one for a pension. Another man accepted for service had a deformed foot. Ho broke down on service, on account of his bad foot. The board held that his breakdown was not duo to military service. Dependants applying for pensions are required to prove that they are or were dependants of the soldier killed or injured. One application declined lately was that of a mother.' This woman's first husband, the father of the soldier, was dead, and she bad married again. Her present husband was in receipt of a Regular salary. Tho evidence was that the soldier (since dead) did not live at homo, and did :not contribute to his mother's support. Another application refused was from the wife of a disabled soldier. This man suffered a compound fracture of tho lower arm, and he has an lin-united fracture which will not heal until another operation is performed. He receives 30s. per week. Flo was not discharged until this month, but in Slay last, after his return from tho front, he' married. Tho Act provides that if there is an engagement or agreement to marry between the soldier and a young woman, and such a couplo marry on the soldier's return, the wife may draw a pension should the soldier be wholly or partially disabled. These cases are not very infrequent now, and the board requires evidence of the engagement. Usually this is forthcoming. Letters arc produced, or there is proof of tho purchase of an engagement ring. In one instance, ■ a clergyman certified that ho know of the engagement. In this case, in which the application was refused, there was no evidence that the soldier was engaged before he went to tho war, to the woman who is now his wife. The board, therefore, has uo power to givo her a pension. During last week, the War Pensions Board ' sitting in Wellington dealt with 391 new claims, 60 renewals, and four other cases. OF tho now claims 14'2 wero soldiers and 49 dependants. To the soldiers six wero granted pensions, .116 allowances, 15 wero declined, and five adjourned. Of tho depondants, !)0 wore granted pensions, four were granted allowances, four wero declined, and two wero adjourned. Of the 60 applications for renewal, 34. wero continued for a further term (eight of these to be final), four were-converted into permanent pensions, 13 are to cease forthwith, two cases were further adjourned, in three cases it was decided to adhere to tho previous decision, and four were continued to dependants.