SOLDIERS' PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 126, 14 February 1918, Page 7

SOLDIERS' PENSIONS

DOCTOR MAKES 1 SERIOUS CHARGE THE OFFICIAL VIEW 'A medical man, speaking at a reception to returned soldiers in Otago, is Reported to have referred to the '"meanness of the pension system," and stated that the Government "had not ibeen ashamed to make use of the medical profession to persuade crippled soldiers that they are only partially 'disabled when as a matter of fact they are totally disabled." The suggestion made' by the docto>, it is contended, ;was that soldiers had been induced by inaccurate medical reports to accept pensions lower than they were actually entitled to receive.

If the doctor 1-as been correctly reported, it has been pointed out, ho was speaking with imperfect knowledge of the system. The granting of a pension does not preclude the soldier from securing a rehearing. If a discharged_ soldier, regarded by the board 'as partially crippled, were granted a .pension on the assumption that his earning power had not disappeared, and lie found subsequently that his disablement was complete, ho would have no difficulty at all in getting a re-hearing of his case. The Government has apipointed a returned soldier a member of the Pensions Board. This member, Mr. J. D. Harper, is at present actfngpresident of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association. A war pension granted to a discharged soldier 'cannot be reduced, but it can be increased.

, There is another point to which the (authorities have drawn attention in ' this connection. The medical officers here and in other parts of the Empire lave learned by experience that the recovery of a wounded soldier is often largely a matter of effort, mental and phvsical, on the part of the man himself. A'-cheerful spirit, a hopeful outlook, properly-directed _ effort, will .'overcome or remedy disabilities that 'science could not cure unaided. The idoctors would not. be justified in describing a man as "totally disabled" if there was any reasonable,chance of the extent of his disability .being reduced. ■

, It is recognised that when _ the pensions are granted the injuries often have hot Teached their final development. That is why the power to increase pensions later is left in the hands of the board. The reason why a pension once, granted cannot he'reVluced is that tho Government wishes (to.encourage disabled'soldiers to learn trades and make themselves productive members of the community. ./The man who has been-granted a pension in refepect of the loss of on© arm, for example,- will retain his pension even if ■he is able eventually to earn..a good salarv by use of the remaining arm.. 'No disabled or partially disabled so}--tiler need fear' that by increasing his rarning power, •■ through studv-and effort,, he will risk any reduction of his pension! '"•