PENSIONS BY RIGHT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3142, 21 July 1917, Page 9

PENSIONS BY RIGHT

SECOND DIVISION SCHEME HOW IT WILL OPERATE SOME ILLUSTRATIONS Last evening the Second Division Conlerence made important alterations in their suggested pensions scheme. Tho alterations leave the scheme as follow-.— Basio Principles of Pension .Scheme. (1) To place incapacitated men and their dependants in approximately their pre-war position. (2) Inducing incapacitated men to improve their positions without penalising them. (3) Care of incapacitated soldiers and dependants. Minimum Plat Kate of Pensions. ■ J e. d. ■ 100 per cent, incapacitated 2 13 S> .. .. ~ . 113 0 ?o ,» „ „ l 8 lot 60 .. „ „ 1 I 9 50 » .. .. 1 171 « ... .. „ 016 6 30 .. „ „ ...... 012 41 20 ~ „ „ ' 0 8 3 Where injuries are not scheduled, pension to be at nearest approximate rate.

Children's Allowance. A, flat rate of 10s. 6d. per child; to males to age 17; unmarried females, 20.

Alternative Pensions. Any disabled iinan pensioned under the above, who makes application, and shows that the minimum pension with children's allowances (if any)" which have been granted, together with the average_ earnings (if any) of which he remains capable, aTe less than his pre-war earnings, may be granted, temporarily or permanently, in lieu of the minimum pension .and children's allowances, a pension which, together with the average earnings (if any) of which he is judged capable, shall not exceed his prewar earnings up to a maximum of 755. per week, plus half of any pre-war earnings between 755.. and 1503. per week. N.B.—The idea is to enable disabled men and their dependants to enjoy : as nearly as possible their pre-war standard of living:, up to a stated maximum.

Services of an Attendant. Where a disabled man requires an attendant, an allowance ;of 20s. weekly shall be niado as a pension for this purpose, . ■.. Special Benefits. Allowances to be given 'to men to bring their pensions up to those for the highest degree of disablement, and to enable them to keep their wives and families (if they have to live apart frbm them during> treatment at sanatoria, etc., or -while being trained for vocations). All fees'involved to be paid by the State, and in the case of training , , a sum at the rate of 7s. 6d. a week to be given to a. man for the period of its duration as a bonus, at the end of it. Capitalising Small Pensions. In tho case of slight injuries, and in certain other cases (such as neurasthenia patients) a gratuity up to .£3OO to be provided.

Gratuity to compensate for financial losses to men discharged from camp; men medically rejected from camp after having been sent in, and whoso unfitness is neither attributable to, nor aggravated by, their service, to receive ffratuity (with a limitj say, of .£225) to be assessed according to the financial loss incurred through being called into camp.

If a man declines to undergo treatment medically certified to lie in his interests, half of any pension which he. trould otherwise be eligible for may be withheld from him. A. permanent pension, however, must not be 'altered to his disadvantage.

The following aro •examples of the

working of the Pension by Eight and Schedule Scheme as it is proposed by the conference it should be appnod to New Zealand:— In tho case of a totally disabled man, a single wan is treated as a married man. There is first a flat rate and also an alternative rate. Under the Hat rate:— 1 ■ X s. (1. Tho totally disabled or under schedule tho 100 per cent.. man gets 2 11! For each child 0 10 6 ' .£3 11 9Minimum man and one child, £2 11s. od. Two children, £3 2s. Gd. Three children, £3 13s. Pour children, £i 3s. Cd. Alternative rate enabling him lo claim pre-war earnings or proportion thereof:— If desired in preference, or flat rate usder which no allowance is made for children', he may claim up to £3 15s. without deductions on proved pre-war earnings. Men getting pre-war earnings of 15s. will receive £3 los. Men getting M get £3 155., plus half tho difference between £3 15s. and M (25.-6d.)-.£3 17s. Gd. Men getting will get £3 155., plus half the difference between £3 15s. and %E5 (12s. Gd.)-JM 7s. Bd.. Men getting will get £3 155., plus <21 12s.— £5 7s. 6d.

lien getting £7 10s. will get 155., plus £1 17s. Cd.— £s 12s. 6d. This is the maximum allowance.