£41,500,000 FOR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 206, 20 May 1918, Page 6

£41,500,000 FOR PENSIONS

WASTE FROM RECRUITING THE

UNFIT.

Tho work of tho Ministry of Pensions is the subject of a recent report of the Select Committee on National Expenditure presided over by Mr. Herbert Samuel, M.P. Tho Ministry took over the administration of pensions on February }i, 1917, and tho magnitude of the work may bo gathered from tho following figures as from that date:—

' Grants to Feb. 13, IUIS ... 635,500 Expenditure, 1917-18 ,£23,000,000 Expenditure, 1918-19 -£41,500,000 The grants include pensions a'iid allowances to officers, soldiers, and sailora disabled and to widows and other dependants of deceased officers and men, including allowances to the children of officers and men whether disabled or deceased. A large number of special grants to meet contingencies not covered by the provisions of the Royal Warrant have also beon made.

Tho Committee approached tho subject of pensions and grants fvotn the point of view that the men who have suffered in the war and their dependnnts should receive generous treatment at Hip hands of the State. That is the principle mi which the Royal Warrant lias been, based, and the administration of the Ministry is conducted. As an instance of this policy they mention that a soldier who is off duty, and who suffers from an accident not being due to his own negligence or misconduct—who, for example, is run over in the street while on his wny from his billet to a place of amnsemnnt—receives tho same pension for bis injuries, or his widow is pensioned m tho event of his death, as if he had been wounded or killed in action. At the same time the Committee sounds a warning note against the grave danger that "a natural sentiment of beuevoVeuce and sympathy mny cnuee a system of war pensions to expand into a widespread system of excessive grants at the expense of the taxpayer." They point out that the root cause of much' expenditure that ought to have been avoided has been tho admission to the Army of men of low physical categories, who have IJeen put Co work for which they have been unfitted. To obviate this mischief it is suggested that one member of tha medical boards which examine the men who still remain for enlistment into the Army should represent the intersts of tho Ministry of Pensions. Amongst other safeguards the Committee suggests that Customs and Excise officers should be attached to local pension committees.