BOGUS VETERANS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1165, 30 October 1913, Page 4

BOGUS VETERANS.

Now that the New Zealand war medal carries with it a pension, and the Government has agreed to reopen the question of issuing medals, many doubtful claims are being made for the decorations. So said Colonel Porter at the New Zealand Veterans’ Conference. Since the pension was granted he himself had received hundreds of requests to certify to the correctness of claims, but be was being very careful in the matter. The Government would grant the medal to any man who could get a comrade to certify that he was in an engagement. That was not sufficient. He cited an instance where the medal was given to one man to whose eligibility be bad himself declined to certily. Lieut. Humphries gave some amusing instances of frauds which had been attempted by bogus veterans in connection with the granting ol lauds on account of military service. One man produced bis discharge, which Mr Humphries glanced at; “Get out of that door,” he said to the applicant. The man went, but his head came back for a last word : “You know a damn sight too much,” he said. Mr Humphries had seen at once that the applicant did not correspond at all with the description on the discharge. Another man came forward with confidence. He knew Percy Smith, Will

Humphries. Tom Humphries, aud so on, “Do I look like any of them ?” asked Mr Humphries. “Not at all,” was the reply, “Well, I’m Tom Humphries!” On the motion of Colonel Porter, seconded by Captain Preece, the following .motion was carried : “The Government having now liberally extended the military pensions to the veterans holding New Zealand war medals, this conference desires to express its gratification on behalf of the veterans ; at the same time to urge upon the Department responsible for the issue of medals to more closely examine the claims so that the privilege now granted be not abused, and that the chairman, Colonel Newall, Captain Preece, and Colonel Porter lay the matter before the Minister,” —Wellington Post.