SOLDIERS' PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 126, 30 May 1919, Page 8

SOLDIERS' PENSIONS

REMITS BEFORE THE CONFERENCE

RIGHT OF APPEAL AGAINST BOARD'S DECISIONS.

(BI TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day.

At the Returned Soldiers' Conference this morning, the executive's remit regarding pensions was carried, also a remit from Hawera that Cabinet be requested to direct the Pensions Board to apply the doctrine of pre-war disability only after careful review of the whole circumstances in each case. A Dannevirke remit that no soldier's pension be reduced without his having first appeared before a medical officer, a Hamilton remit that the minimum pension be £3 15s weekly, and a motion by Mr. Long (Auckland) that when the application of a returned soldier is refused by the Pensions Board, he shall be allowed to appeal against the decision with a representative of the R.S.A. to conduct his appeal, were carried.

It was decided that the Government be approached to form a Pensions Appeal Board, also to affirm that the Pensions Act should be amended to provide pensions being payable either in case of death or disablement at any time after discharge, where death or disablement is the result of war service. Proposals were discussed • affirming the principle of paying a totally disabled man his pre-war income, and xt was decided to refer the question to the incoming executive to obtain evidence of economists. ■ ; Conference also resolved to acknowledge letters from the United Federation of Labour and the Canterbury Industrial Association expressing good wishes and proffering help.