The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. MONDAY, MAY 31, 1915. MILITARY PENSIONS.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 31 May 1915, Page 2

The Chronicle PUBLISHED DAILY. LEVIN. MONDAY, MAY 31, 1915. MILITARY PENSIONS.

Pensions for soldiers and their dependents are lu be the subject oi special legislation by the New Zealand Government in the approaching (session of Parliament. There is need for amendment of the Defence Act. of 1909 in the part relating to and allowances, and it is tins aspect that will be concerned by the amending legislation. The Government deserves commendation for this tieciision, for it is the duty of the Dominion as a whole to make proper and sufficient provision for the futures of those who now are risking their lives and health and worldly place for the, good of the empire. Those of us who remain in safety at home should ensure that the voice of public opinion beeome manifestly preponderant in this matter, to the end that Parliament shall give the Government so great a backing of favourable opinion that the levying of a tax fully adequate to meet the Pension List will be practicable. A proposal put forward in AYellington is that the military pensions shall become available to all soldiers by right of eervice and irrespective of their financial positions. The proposal is two-sided. There is,

.firstly, likelihood that the general amount would not suffice for any large amount being fixed upon as the max 1 - mum; and, (secondly, the absolute fairfcess, hypothctically, of the right-of-service principle. For years past we have argued in favour of this principle being applied to the Old Age Pensions. It would increase the total cost considerably, but it would help to establish the principle of pensions on a sure basis of public esteem and obliterate the depreciatory view taken of them at present by a few captious people. The it-em of increased cost, it should be borne in mind, would be in its incidence ksi harassing than the figures would suggest, for the pension money would be spent in our own country. Within reasonable limits, the amounts of public expenditures are largely a matter of book-keeping. ]f tlic productivity of the soil be stimulated and maintained so that the outgoings of produce do more than compensate for the importations, a matter of half a million pounds sterling would be neither here nor there when the vote upon the Civil List conies to be considered.