WAR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 2, 27 September 1917, Page 6

WAR PENSIONS

THE NEW SCALE /

SMALL INCREASE FOR

WIDOWS

CHILDREN'S RATES UNALTERED

INJURIES TO BE SCHEDULED

THE ALLOWANCES

NEW PROPOSALS OUTLINED

\ The War Pensions Amendment Bill was ''"'" introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday. The Bill provides a new goals of pensions with fixed rates for specific forms of injury, and makes other y.-.amendments in the prinoipal Act. The ■ '""'new scale is to oome into operation on l.: ; - January 1, 1918. THE WIDOWS' RATE. An increase.of ss. per week is proposed in tho peheion of a widow. The Tata for a, child remains at 7s. 6d. per .week for each child regardless of the rank of the father. The scale of rates pay- . able to the wife in the ease of the death j 'of the soldier is as follows:—

Jo the .":■■.• wife per week. ■::>>]. . With a a child • Without or a child, children , Bank or rating. £ s. d. £e. d. Pte., Bombr., L.-Cpl, Tpr., Gun., Dvr., Spr., :■■'■■.. Trumpeter, Bugler ... 1 10 0 2 0 0 :IAWe seaman.and equiva-' lent ratings ..'. 110 02 0 0 ■■.-. -Corporal 1 11 0 2 1 0 V •'•' (Farrier, Shoeingsmith, "Saddler, or Fitter (if Bomb- L.-Cpl., Gnr., or Pte.) 11l 0 2 10 ■ '■■ li.-Sgt. (not paid as such).-. 11l 0 2 1 0 ''.'l' Leading seaman and .■. equivalent ratings 11l 02 1 0 ;•.'.' Sgt., Farrier-Cpl. Shoe- '^'•:';. ingsmith-Cpl., Saddler- '-■•'/. Cpl., Cpl.-Fitter, Far- ;:-;;■ rier-Sgt, Saddler-Sgt., Armourer-Sgt., Sgt-Fit-ter '■ 1 12 0 2 2 0 Mat. (paid as such)... 112 02 2 0 Petty officer and equivalent ratings 112 0 2 M Squadron, Battery, or . Coy. Sgt.-mjr., Q.M.S., '..-: Colonr-Sgt. Staff-Sgt., ■•" pay olerk : 114 02 4 0 Chief Petty Officer, and equivalent ratings 114 02 * « •■MRejrt. Sgt.-Mjr., Eegt. ,„..„,. (J.M.S H5 9 2 5 0 '.. [Warrant Officer and ■ equivalent ranka ■' ' „ (Navy) 115 02 5 0 2nd Li. Lt. (Army) 2 5 9 2 15 0 Com. Warrant Officer , \and equivalent ranks; Sub-Lt. and equivalent ranks.(Navy) 2 5 0 2 15 0 Captain (Army) 210 03 0 6 Lt. under 8 years' seniority and equivalent v ranks (Navy) tf 10 0 3 0 9 Major 217 0 3 7 0 ■>. Lt. of 8 years' seniority and equivalent Tanks (Navy) 217 0 3 7 0 Lieutenant-Colonel 3 6 0 3 16 0 Capt„ under 3 years' seniority and equivalent ranks; Commanders ' ' 3 6 0 316 0 . ; coioneT'...:'.: : noam Cant, of S years* sen- • iority and , equivalent „„.„„. ranks (Navy) » 0318 0 Brig-Gen., Mjr.-Gen. ... 3 10\ 0 i 0 0 Commodores, Ist and 2nd ■ .. class; ' other equivalent ranks 3 10 0 4 0 0 The additional'rate of pension pro- • Tided for a widow with a child or children, so far as it exceeds the rate that •would be payable to her if she had no " child, is to be paid so long as such child »r children or any of them is m receipt of a pension, and no longer.

RATES FOR DISABLEMENT. A similar inorease of ss. per week is proposed in. the pensions payable for total disablement The vote for the eEld remains at 7s. Gd. per week all • round. The scale is as follows:— To the mem- To the ber per wife per '. Bank of Eating. week: week. JEi. d. £a. d: Pts., Bomb., Loe.-Corpl., Tpr„ Gnr., Dvr. Spr., : Trumpeter, Bugler ... 2xo 0 10 0 lible 'Seaman and equiv- "■ ' alent ratings'.;: 2 0 0 1 0 0 Corporal 2 0 0 10 0 ■Farrier, Shoewg-smith, Saddler, or Fitter (if Bomb., Lce.-Corpl., - Gnr., or Pte.) 2 0 0 1 0 0 !Lce.-Sergt. (not paid as :_ such) 1....... ......- 200. 10 0 (Leading Seaman and ■ equivalent ratings .... 2 0 0 10 0 Bergt., Far.-Cbrpl., Shoe-ing-smith Oorpl., Sdlr.Corpl., CoTpl.-Fitter, • Far.Sergt., Sdlr.-Sergt,, Armourer-Sergt., Sgt.- ■■„,„.- jitter .' 2 00 10 0 T/ce.-Sergt : (paid as such) 2 0 0 10 0 •Petty Officer, and equivalent Tatings 2 0 0 10 0' Squadron, Battery, or Cov. S.M., Q.M.-S., Col.-Sgt., Staff-Sergt., „•„,„. Pay-clerk 3 0 0 ■ ,1 0 0 Chief Petty Officer and ■ \ - . equivalent ratings 2 0 0 1 0 0 !Regt. S.M., -Bert. Q.M.S. 2 0.0.1 0 0 "Warrant Officer and equivalent. Tanks .„„«.. (Navy) 2 0 0. 1 0 0 End Lient., Lieut. ; ~, . (Army). ........••-••■ •• 388. 11 B Commissioned .Warrant Officer and equivalent ranks; Sub.-Lieut., and enuivalent Tanks „«..,, (N aTT \ 3 3 6 118 cK (Army) 9 5 0 12 6 Lieutenant under eight years' seniority and imiivalenfc ranks (Navy) ~ 2 2 I Major ■- 2 =2 0 1 6 0 Lieut, of eight years' seniority and equiv- „.„„.„„ alent ranks (Navy) ... 2 12 0 18 0. Lieut-Colonel • 3 1 0 1 10 8 Capt under three years <senioritv and equivalent ranks; Commanders and equivalent • ranks (Navy) 3 10 10 fl. Colonel ; 3 3 0 1 11 8, Capt. of three years j seniority and equiva- " lent ranks (Navy) 3 3 0 111 0 Br-dr.-General, Major- - General •• 3 5 0 1 12 8 Commodores, first and second class; Eear-Ad-miral, and other equivalent ranks 3 S 1-1 12 B 'DEGREES'OF DISABLEMENT. This scale is subject to the operation of a schedule which specifics degrees of disablement, the pension being adjusted according to tho percentages of disablement in the schedule. The percentages , are as follow— i Eatio of Pension ! to Pull | Pension payable incnsesofTotal Disablement. Nature of Injury. Per cent. : ' Loss of. two limbs' ."....- J°° i Loss of limb and eve ™i Loss of both hands ••••••••••••- ™ Lofs of all fingers and thumbs ... 10» Loss of both feet ™ Loss of hand and foot "'" Loss of sight ™ .-Total paralysis, ..... • J«» Lunacy. ~p.«»n «• lw j ■'•

Permanently bed-ridden 100 Wounds or injuries sto head or other organ involving total - permanent disabling effects 100 Advanced incurable disease 100 Very serious facial disfigurement 100 Amputation of right arm through shoulder-joint ;. 85 Amputation of leg through hipjoint '. 85 Loss of speech 80 Severe facial disfigurement 80 Amputation of left arm through shoulder-joint 80 Amputation of right arm at or above elbow 80 Amputation of ieg through kneejoint or thigh 80 Amputation ot left arm at or above elbow : 75 Amputation of right arm below elbow 75 Amputation of leg below knee ... 75 Total deafness 70 Amputation of left arm below elbow 70 Amputation of right hand C 5 Amputation of left hand GO Loss of one eye 50 Loss of four fingers of rfght hand 50 Loss of four fingers of left hand 45 Loss of three fingers of right hand 40 Loss of thumb of right hand ... 40 Loss of three fingers of left hand 30 Loss of thumb of left hand 30 Loss of two fingers of right or left hand : 25 Loss of index finger of right or left hand 20

In. cases of left-handed men, certified to. as such to the satisfaction 'of the board, pensions in lespect of injury to the left arm or hand will bo at the rate presoribed as for injury to the right arm or hand, and compensation in respect of injury to the right arm or hand will be at the rate prescribed as for injury to the left arm or hand. For the purposes'of this schedule the expression "loss of" includes "permanent loss of the rise of." Where a member of the Forces suffers or has suffered \ mora than one of the injuries mentioned in this schedule he shall not in any case bo entitled to receive more than the maximum pension payablejis for total disablement.

SPECIAL ALLOWANCES. If tho Pensions Board is satisfied'that the pension payable to a disabled soldier and his family, plus the'earnings (if any) of the pensioner, "is not sufficient to enable tne member to maintain himself and his dependants in accordance with the standard of comfort to which they were accustomed before the war, the board may increase tho rate of pension, payable to tho member by an amount' not exceeding £1 a week: "Provided that iu any case in which this section is'applied the total amount payable by way of pension l to all persons in respect of the disablement of the member shall not exceed £o a week." There is a corresponding provision in the case of the widow of a soldier. If the board is satisfied that the pension receivable by the widow and children is not sufficient to enable tho widov to maintain herself and hor children in accordance with the standard of comfort to which they wero accustomed beforo tho war, the board may increase the rate of pension payable to the widow by an, amount not exceeding 10s. a week, but' 60 that the total amount payable by way of pension to the widow and children in any case to which this section is applied shall not exceed a week.

MEDICAL TREATMENT. A disabled member of the Forces may be required to undergo medical trjatment, the penalty for refusal being loss of half tho pension. In cases where an attendant is required, the special allowance payable is increased from 10s. 1 to £1. A pension may be increased in order to allow a man to undergo medical treatment.

PENSIONS PERMANENT. Provision is made for the award of pensions at temporary . rates in cases where disablement has not reached its final condition. When permanent pensions are granted they are no't to be subject to'review later on account of any ohange in the earning power of the pensioner.

WIDOWED MOTHERS. Whore application'for a pension to respect of the death or disablement of a member of the Forces is made by his widowed mother on the ground that she was partially dependent upon him, the Eension granted to the applicant shall e not less, in any case than one half of tho amount that would have been payable if the applicant had been wholly dependent upon the member in reßpect_ of whose death or disablement the application is made. .

SUPPLEMENTING IMPERIAL ' PENSIONS. _ The Bill provides that supplementary pensions may be paid, in addition to imperial pensions, in the case of soldiers who 6erved in the Imperial Forces, and ■who prior to the war were residents of New Zealand. '-Dependants under this provision must be residents of New Zealand. Tho supplementary pension, plus the Imperial pension, must not exceed the New Zealand rates.

OTHER PROVISIONS. The definition of dependants is extended to include a woman who becomes by marriage in New Zealand the wife of a member of the Forces after and vithm two years from the date.of his oischaTge. The wife of a disabled soldier in a case cf this kind may. receive a pension, and her children may also receive pensions. In the event of the wife becoming a widow, she will thereupon cease to be a dependant within the meaning of this section, but in any such case there may be paid to her a gratuity of an amount not exceeding twice the annual value cf her pension. ■ Provision is made for the payment ot pensions in cases where death or disablement is not. attributable to employment as a member of the Forces, provided the board .is satisfied that the death or disablement was not due to the soldier's own "serious negligence or neglect."