DISABLED SOLDIERS
AFTER-CARE PROBLEM
SOCIETIES ADOPT COMMON POLICY
The chairman of the Wellington War Belief Association has .prepared a report on tho conference of delegates representing the different'societies of the provincial district of Wellington, held recently in Palmerston North. In forwarding a copy of tiho report for publication the secretary of tho association explains that now that the Wellington provincial so-, cieties have agreed to adopt, as far as possible, a common policy in regard to claims received from partially and totally disabled soldiers, it is intended to submit the whole matter from a Donnnon standpoint to the next meeting of the Advisory Board, which will bo held at the earliest possible moment. The. report sets out that the meeting was attended on behalf of tho Wellington society by Mr. Aldrich and tho chairman (Mr. L. 0. H. Tripp)i and after general discussion the following resolutions were unanimously parsed: — "That this meeting is of opinion tliat the time has arrived to establish a national scliemo to deal with the permanent'.v and partially disabled soldiers, cither mentally or physically. "That the assistance given to a soldier or his dependants should not be bastfd solely on the ground of physical impairment, but an attempt should bo made to enable the disabled soldier to maintain himself and his dependants in a reasonable state of comfort, having regard to the loss he may bo suffering as tho result ol has war service." It was agreed that each society should 6et nsido a portion of its funds for .the benefit of permanently and partially disabled soldiers and their dependants, and those who may break down as the result of their ivar service. A further resolution was' passed that the delegates affirm the principle and recommend their several societies to adopt ft scheme whereby they will help each other, if at a lator date it should be found necessary when any society has not sufficient funds to hoip the permanently disabled men and their dependants, and those who may from time to time suffer as the result of their war service. General Richardson's Advice.
General Richardson lad promised to vttend tho conference, but at the last nomont he was unable to do so, hut he vroto a letter, which was read at tho neeting. In forwarding the letter to the shairman, ho said: "What I wish to convey is that it| would he wrong now to tivide up the money held by the War Jeiof and Patriotic Committees. Go on tnd continue your present good work; n years to come you will still 'have work jo do—if you do hot, other organisations ivill have to take your place." The letter was as follows:—"I regret rery much that owing to the arrival of Seneral Birdwood to-morrow'l slmll bB inable to accompany you to Balmcrston. I therefore take this opportunity of writing briefly my views on the question.of patriotic funds. , Previous to tho great war 110 provision was made for the nfter-care of disabled soldiers, eitljbr hy the New Zealand Government or any other Government in the world. Each Government considered it sufficient to grant £ disability pension. During this war tho British Government, under tho Naval and Military War Pensions Act, 1915,- irecognfised its responsibility for treatment and care of disabled so'diers after discharge. The Government's efforts are, however, inadequate in many cases. .In previous wars this after-nave was left to private enterprise. Many voluntary organisations existed, and theTO was overlapping'. To obviate this overlapping in England, a central committee was formed to administer voluntarily subscribed funds. Tho functions of this statutory committee are, briefly, to issue supplementary grants in eases where pensions or separation allowances appear to be inadequate, and to perform sundry administrative duties .in connection with pensions, etc. The statutory or central committee elaborates schemes, and lays down general principles, while local committees deal with this men themselves and work on the lines livid down by the central committee. The success of the scheme (therefore depends largely on the local committees, the central or statutory committeo, being a coordinating and advisory board. In England the pensions scheme is a very complete and elastic one. Furthermore, the pensions scale is larger in England than m New Zealand, but still there is a need for the special local committee to make grants in deserving cases to disabled men, widows, and children, and even if the pensions scale is stil'l further extended this need will exist becauso the seals of pension, however elastic, cannot provide for tho innumerable varying conditions of disabled soldiers—conditions which will continue throughout the lives of these unfortunate men and *ho widows of those who have died. "In New Zealand we have various organisations dealing with th'o returned soldiers. These organisations havo learnt a great deal, but the problem is a new one for New Zealand and for them. They should therefore study the problem as it is dealt with in other parts of the world. If . they do this and add their own experience, they will come to the 'conclusion that tho after-care_of disabled soldiers is a matter which Will continue for severall generations, and that it is a question not only for the Government but for the people. There are several organisations in New Zealand: (1) Pensions; (2) Repatriation; (3) Defence; (4) patriotic organisations, including War Funds Committees, Red Cross, Y.M.C.A., etc. The Pensions Department administers the Pensions Act—l hope the latter will be amended soon. The Repatriation Department deals with training and civil re-cstablishrcient. Defence is responsible for medical treatment.. Patriotic organisations take tho place of statutory and local committees at Home, I presume, but there does not appear to be any defined functions for these organisations. They have done a lot of good work, and have conferred great benefits on some deserving soldiers, and helped thousands of returned men.
"The man who needs help to-day and will continue to need help in. future is tho disabled man. I urge that the funds be resorved for these men, and that while these men require assistance now sliould .be assisted. The funds should not be disbursed on any other principle than those which tlio donors would accept. I would interpret, these principles to be: To help disabled soldiers and to confine such help to the supplementation of the Government efforts so as to ensure .that, tho men or widows and orphans were enabled to live in that essential standard of comfort which they would have been able tp enjoy had they or tlrsir breadwinners nut gone to the war."
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 230, 23 June 1920, Page 8
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1,087DISABLED SOLDIERS Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 230, 23 June 1920, Page 8
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