The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7. 1914. SOLDIERS' PENSIONS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 January 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. THURSDAY, JANUARY 7. 1914. SOLDIERS' PENSIONS.

ihe existing pension regulations lor New Zealand Soldiers are unjust and nnust be altered and the Wellington Vost lias done well in pointing out that some better provisions nnust be made. New Zeailan<l lias despatched 12,100 .soldiers lor the front ami proposes to send reinforcements at the rate ot 1800 every tiro months throughout the war. A question that calls for consideration is that of making suitable provision for (1) the , dependents of those killed in action or who die as th« result of wounds, exposure, fatigue, or disease, and (2) lor the**! incapacitated and their dependents. Co.! tail ra .i-s 'av s already been laid down in the Defence Forces Regulations, but in the majority of instances must bo regarded ns being totally inadequate. This is notably so with junior officers', non-commissioned officers and privates. In cases, for example, where the deceased h,as been killed in action.

died of wounds or f.roin illness, th pensions provided for the wi(lo«- of a lieutenant or assistant surgeon range from £<>0 to £'50 per annum, of a second lieutenant from £!(> to £40. and ol a non-commissioned officer or a private from £36 to £30. The annual allowances for the children of the men who have given up their lives for their

country vary from £14 to £6 for those of lieutenants. assistant surgeons or .second lieutenants, and from £10 to

£4 for those of non-commissioned officers or privates. The annuoncement «t such rates must come as something

of a shock to the public, but this un-

happily is by nio means the worst. A more glaring state of affairs exists in the case of the pensions provided for non-commissioned officers and privates who have been incapacitated or temporarily incapacitated through wounds received in battle or injuries in the actual performance of military duty. The allowances set" forth for our soldiers in such instances are as follow: First degree (men losing two limbs or hoth eyes from wounds or injuries, or being so severely injured or wounded as to be totally incapable of earning a livelihood and to require the assistance and care of some other person): Sergeant from 2s 6d t-o 4s per day; corporal from Is lOd to 3s 4d per dn.yj private from Is 6d to 3s per day.

Second degreo (men rendered incapable by wounds or injuries of earning

•a livelihood, but not requiring the aid of another person): Sergeant 3s per day; corporal 2s 6d per day; private 2s 2d per day. Third degreo (men able to contribute towards earning a livelihood, but rendered by wounds or injuries unfit for the ordinary duties of a soldier): Sergeant from Is 3d to 2s 8d per day ; eoi-poral rrom Is to 2s 3d per day; private from 8d to 2« per day. That anybody can be expected to live on such meagre pittances, much less men incapable of helping themselves, is obviously out of the question but here again the position does not end. No provision whatever is made in the regulations for the maintenance of the dependents of the incapacitated men. irrespective of whether they are those of officers of high rank, junior officers, non-commissioned officers oi privates. What is to happen to theraP It is conceivable that some ol the men may return to New Zea-

iand to live lives worse than death and bo weiglitv burdens to their wives and families. Yet had. they died those dependent upon them would have received pensions f.roni tho Stiatc. a-hereas in the case of permanent incapacity they rewive less man nothing, because the invalided men cost more to keep than they draw in allow-

ance. 'Other remarkable injusitije-s standing out in the regulations are that higher pensions are prescribed for those who die of illness brought on by fatigue, privation and exposure, and that pensions to widows "cannot be claimed as of right." being grants•) a.» the Pensions Board may consul ;r fit purely, "as rewards for good and faithful military services rendered, by lhpir deceased husbands."