TUBERCULAR SOLDIERS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 September 1924, Page 4

TUBERCULAR SOLDIERS.

ECONOMIC PENSIONS INADEQUATE.

WELLINGTON, September 17

The Defence Committee reported to the House to-day that it had considered the petition of a number of soldier settlers at Hornby. Canterbury, who suffer from tuberculosis, and who consider that they ate unable to make a living on their poultry farms with the aid of their present pensions. They therefore asked for lurthcr relief. The committee stated that the matter was one ior the Hepatr.atioii Depot tment. and it referred the petition to the Government for consideration. Mr M'C'omhs informed the House that the men toneerned were almost 10!) per cent disabled through tuhereu- |. sis. It would he didnult for them to make a living, seeing that lit and well men had found it impossible to live on poultry farming owing to the high price of grain. Mr Witty expressed great regret that the committee could not give the men even what was promised these men by law. How could they compete with outside enterprise ? They got up to or l()s pension, hut if their income from poultry went up it was reduced from their pensions. He moved to refer the report- hack to the committee. The I loti. 1). Buddo stated that the men had been put on the poorest land within twenty miles of Christchurch. It was not a question of sympathy, hut of justice.

Mr IVtter. chairman of the committee. staled that the majority of the committee were returned soldiers themselves, with every sympathy with tlieii ni l mates. The pensioners were in receipt of tin economic ] elision. hut wanted it made ret res] e. live. Ilieie should he an investigation < I the men s accounts, because in one instance a

settler received £b()d from eggs alone ju one year. The petitioners were asked to pay something off the ] riucipal, hut they could not see their way to do so, though rent and interest arrears since ll'ir had been postponed. The I:.,nimittes j,, dealing with the ease had to (oitsider its hearing on similar eases in other parts of the Dominion, lie would lint olijei t to the petition being reconsidered. Mr .\rmstrong strongly advocated the 1 fei | |ei settlers’ ease, declaring that their dillieultie.s were so great as to warrant some more practical aid than postponing arrears, as tins would not fill the cupboard. Mr McKay. Hawke’s Bay. speaking for T.B. patients generally, urged that they should get full pension. It was the State's duty to immediately attack the problem, anti it would not only save the men. toil the rockets of the taxpayers.

Mr Lee. a member of the Defence Committee, said the men should hare such pensions as would enable them to live decently. They had had a job to get even the pensions they 10- , ..ivod. One man, who had lost an arm. but was not Ktill'ciiitg from consumption. was not getting a pension. He believed that the authorities had awakened to the position, because the melt had obtained economic pensions. Ihe Bepatriatiou Department wiped out a fair quantity ol arrears and the | anils Department was postponing the remainder, hut if the House wanted the < .ltuiuiltee to w ipe out all the inter'-*., which amounted to £lt-.),i in each case, it was a big principle. The Hen. A. I). M’l.e id offered no i hjc t!• n tc the |ct it ion going I a-k ti the c eminitt"e. although he could 11,4 si <> | lie p.itf| .esc Hi he served. 'I lie , utiiuiillcc. the Befall iation Dcparlii’ei.i a ltd the I -mi's Department were quite sympathetic towards T.lt. eases and had gone as far as possible to help these men. bet there was the business side*. Would it tint be letter and i hmper to help these men by taking the lin’d a" ay nT—-ether. I’cfcat-to.c:; |;. Ic | ll- "II ll'l't- to | I l|li-.'.'|c|l c-1 lent i• > r t'.ooi three year:.. 'Ill" Land... I’• pill-1 incut had :etiin!ly \riittc-n 'll I! )t). >. II large sinus like that had to ha writlin off it was going to he scriui: indcs-J, and might hoi he to the l.enelit of the melt themselves. Mr Currigan : tl the land is no ge::-| give it In them. The Minister said that every ease was treated on its own merits. It Would Ice wrong to establish a genetal met hod. He leg ct t. d that the security held against the loans hud disa | pen red in several in-os. Settlers had disposed of these assets without notifying the hoard. The position from tin' view of the Pensions Depnilment had teen invt -tignted by the Lands I )o- ---] art meld to see what would I e best, lie denied the suggestion that there had It. i'u any unlairness towards these

men. Mr Pitt; r: Tin- men in • oaiinil t.-e .said ihev did not want to leave their places. Mr M’l. 1. 1 said t.he (.’ ive; mr,-‘lll w.mhl eiiiiliiiiii- lo do their best for the settlers. Mr Forbes agree 1 that sentiment and business were combine,l in I lie* matter. Mr Sykes .-..-i;il that if these T.ll. eases were not cm him age d I i pursue some avocation they would throw up iln* sponge 1 . Mr Sullic'nn ssiid the < iin-i le-us if Opinion was that lice petition .should 1..- granted, namely the wi| ing c4f ol aeeuinnhiteil airoe's dm- to the Lands and Repatriation Department. Mr 1.-itt .--aid lit- did m l ague that the poultry industry was hopeless. Those engaged in it had struck an exceptionally hard time. What was the alternati.c to keeling these men on the belli, .uent ! Tile worst thing to do was to take the men away from industry and give thorn a dole. He saw lin other ie lion from the e nnoini;standpoint. The wisest thing would he even at considerable expenditure, to place them in the position ol having a reasonable chance to make good. Air Corrigan suggested that the committee might make a recommendation that these sections he given lent free, to these men. lie thought their position was deplorable. There was a feeling amongst, men under the repatriation system that they were not getting i hi; os-ions to which they were entitled. The report was referred back to the lommittee for further consideration.