War Pensions.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 October 1922, Page 3

War Pensions.

K V 11) ENUK BEFORE- (OMMISSION. WELLINGTON, October 4. The War Pensions Commission iesumetl to-day. Evidence was given on behalf of the Returned Soldiers’ Association by Mr Linder, iviiu is ■" charge of the artificial limb factory. He said that he had the supervision of 21)7 eases of lower limb amputation. 90 of upper limb, eleven, ol mutilated, feet and 41 of mutilated bands. Artificial limbs caused much wear on the clothing. and in leg eases the allowance on this account should lie £lO per yeai for an upper leg and £8 for lower leg amputation. £3 a year should he allowed for artificial arms and additional amounts for men with very heavy appliances. - Witnesses supported the claim from their own experiences and stated that Afr bander’s estimates were too low. Mr .Alexander F. Roberts, director, of Murray, Roberts and Company, gave evidence tha the considered that permanently disabled men were entitled to pension at last equal to the wages ol the unskilled labourer. The majority of taxpayers did not object to income tax for war pensions, but he suggested that a proportion of sixpence in tlje pound lie specially set aside for wai pensions. Taxpayers objected to paying for tilings which could be reduced, biit did not wish to benefit their civil pockets at the expense of war pen-

! Air Alexander Gray K. 0.. agreed with 1 his and added that widows and children should not suffer because the father sacrificed himself in the interests of Ins country. The claims of 1 the New eZaland Returned Soldiers’ Asocial ion were reasonable altogether. | Her lying to the Pensions Commissioner the witness agreed that where widows inherited substantial incomes the increase should he taken into consideration to vanishing point. ' Air J. [). Harper,«tpcnlled, said that in the case of convictions for minor offences, pensions shoo'd not he touched, while in the case of a man in - prison the pension should he paid to his dependants. If there were no dependants the ease should he judged on I its merits. ] Mr Seymour, for the Returned Sdj diers’ Association, submitted that the i disablement pension should not he touched in any circumstances. Colonel Row, General Secretary of i the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ I Association, urged that an increase was ! necessary on the 1915 scale, also a co-t i of living increase. New claims would amount to £298,000 annually. hut there would be natural decreases of roughly £200.000 annually. Last year’s pensions totalled £1.513,000. The commission adjourned till 10.30 a.ill. on Thursday.