War Pensions Commission

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1922, Page 4

War Pensions Commission

AYAH PENSION'S COMMISSION. WELLINGTON, .1 '"i« 28. l„ connection "it!, the Commission or enquiry into the necessity for revision of soldiers’ pensions gild othci matter* reintinu to the ndministriition or the War Pensions Act steps are bein,, taken to have the necessary order for reference drawn up. It has been suggested tentatively that the Ccratnis. «ion should meet in Wellington on Monday. July 3rd. to determine its procedure etc. Messrs 11. S- Smith and T>. T r. Seymour have been engaged » • tll(l x.nv Zealand Iteturned Soldiers’ Association to eonduet the ease for the Association. Tl’e appointment of this Commission is welcomed by the Returned Soldiers’ Association, which lias knig advocated that some such enquiry should he held into the present pendons schedule and into a number of anomalies which it has frequently drawn attention to. The most important points the Commission will l>« asked to enquire into are set out as follows: (1) An increase of 71 per cent in the pensions of soldiers with children, widowed mothers w hose sons were I heir sole support and disabled soldiers with a greater disability than 10 per cent. At present the pension payable to a widowed mother whose son was her

i sole support is entitled to 30s a week ; while a hadlv-disabled soldier receives 10s a week. Owing to the decreased purchasing power of the sovereign since i these rates were decided upon. the | N.Z.H.S.A. maintains that an increase j of 71 per cent, oil the above rates is I required to compensate for the rise in J the cost of living. i (2) The clothing allowance for men ! wearing mechanical appliances. Owing ;to the wear and tear of leg appli- ■ ances, the extra cost of clothing to log | amputees is considerable. The- Associa*- ' tion asks that a grant ho made to such men to compensate for the extra ■ expense involved in the purchase of clothing. j (3) The lidn-incliision of pension ! money for income-tax purposes. The ; Association maintains that dearly earn- ! ed money should not he taxed. ft) An alteration of the pensions law, allowing pensions to widows who cannot prove fire-war engagement. The Association asks that all widows of i nien who died from disabilites incurred during the war .shall he eligible for a ! pension, irrespective of whether the i widow wm engaged to the soldier hc-

j fore the war or not. I (1) Reciprocal arrangements between j the Justice and Pensions Departments 1 regarding ex-soldiers who break the law. Several soldiers have been punished twice for the same offence, first by a Magistrate and secondly by the Pensions Department reducing their pensions. (C>) Attribiitivenoss of a death to war service, in the case of a second disability following up a war disability, i (7) The constitution of a new Pensions : Appeal Hoard to consider appeals on economic grounds in addition to medical appeals. (8) The wife and child to receive the pension payable in respect of the death of tho husband at any time, not only ; within seven years of receipt of wounds ! or injury.