ALLOWANCES AND PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3188, 12 September 1917, Page 6

ALLOWANCES AND PENSIONS

The Returned Soldiers' Association appears to think it necessary to embark on a campaign to ensure that the benefit of the amendments of tho War Pensions Act about to le mado will extend to 'returned soldiers and their dependants. _ It is impossible to beliove that Parliament would permit any discrimination to bo mado between First and Second Division men, even if tho Government, which wo doubt, had any idea of making such discrimination. The men who volunteered for service m tho early stages of tho war, and the dependants of thoso of their number who Have given up their lives for their country, aro as much entitled to receive tho benefit of tho more liberal scale of pensions and allowances proposed to bo made as are the members of the Second Division and their dependants. Neither the Second Division nor anyone else, wo should imagine, would desire to question this. Until the amending Bill is brought before Parliament it is not possible to say what tho difference between the old and the now scales of pensions and allowances will amount to, but whatever that difference may he tho membersof tho First Division and their dependants have a just claim to. It. is probable that the adoption of this policy will.mean a further heavy addition to tho annual charge undor tho heading of war pensions and allowances, but that does not affect tho justico of the claim now advanoed. Tho Government and Parliament have to face the obligation to which the country is pledged to provide adequately for those who return wholly or partially incapacitated by the war, and also for their dependants both during thoir absence on service or in case of death. Presumably it will be necessary in tho ease of returned soldiers now in receipt of pensions and in the case of dependants of soldiers on service for tho Pensions Board to review its original allocations in tho light of the new scale now awaij> ing Cabinet's final decision. This will add to tho work of the board, but with the information already, before it . regarding these cases it should not interfere unduly with the current work .which the members of the board aro faced with.