WAR PENSIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 May 1929, Page 4

WAR PENSIONS

SEVEN YEARS’ ARREARS. MAN GETS LUMP SUM. By Telegraph, Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, May 1. At the last meeting of the executive of the Dunedin Returned Soldiers’ Association, Mr E. J. Anderson reported that a satisfactory settlement had been secured of an interesting case under the War Pensions Act of 1915, the outcome of which has been the payment by the War Pensions Board of a lump sum of over £7OO as back pension due to a returned soldier who had been confined for seven years and a half to a mental institution. The case was brought under the notice of the local association by the pensioner, who was compelled to go into the institution as. the result of war disability. On his discharge,- at the end of seven years and a half, he made application to the War Pensions ' card for payment of the sum which he considered was his • due, according to the provisions of the Act, namely a lump sum equal to the total pension, t the rate of £2 per week, which had accrued to him during his term in the institution. None of the pension which was a total disability payment of £2 per week, was paid during the seven years and a half. The application made aftir his d ; '- , '‘'vgo was refused by the War Pensions Board,- but he "f!—Vfl U-nt. i f 1,0 rnbnrHpd proposals for t’-o investment or other use of the money, the board would lavourably consider the application. This was done, but no payment was made, 'and the hoard finally agreed to pay arrears in pension ” at the rate b c ".2 a week. The pensioner, however, had no definite award made or communicated to him as to what exactly was meant by the term “arrears in pension,” and, since he was convinced that the board had no right to withhold any of the lump sum for which he had made application, he acted upon the advice of the local executive and took the necessary steps to obtain Ui mandamus directing the board formallv to assess the amount due and pay it to him.

Air Anderson also stated that in a final endeavour to have the matter settled, representatives of the association met the Alinister of Pensions (Mr TTilford), who at once secured the opinion of the Crown Law Office on the subject. The opinion of the AttorneyGeneral was apparently in agreement with that of the association. The result was that the pensioner concerned has now received from the board payment df a lump sum exceeding £7OO.