The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, May 13, 1916. WAR TENSIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1550, 13 May 1916, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, May 13, 1916. WAR TENSIONS.

TUB War Pensions Amendment Bill was introduced in (lie House oi Represent!)lives on Thursday evening. 11 is a ■ measure of tit'toen clauses, and proposes some import - ant ,amendments in the existing law. The rates of pension laid down in the Act of 1915 are not increased except by the abolition of maximum aggregates. The principle of pensions by right is laid down as far its soldiers, their wives and their children sire concerned. Section 15 of the principal Act provided that the Pensions Board might lake into consideration the private means of the applicant when considering the claiiu to a pension of a dependent of a killed or disabled member of the military forces. This clause is to be repealed and replaced by the following (danse : ( 1) In determining the rate of pension payable to it member of the forces, or to the wife or to any child of a member of the forces, the Board shall not take into consideration the properly or income from any source of the applicant. (2) In determining the rale of pension payable to any dependent of a member of the forces (other than his wife or children) the Board shall take into consideration the property and income from all sources of Ihe dependent. The Bill proposes to abolish the maximum aggregates contained in the schedules of the original Act. The effect of this amendment is to withdraw the restriction on the number of dependents who may receive pensions in respect of an individual soldier. The sole test will be dependency within the meaning of the Act. The original Act provided thal Ihe .pension of a widow should cease on her re-mar-riage. The bill extends this clause by providing that "a pension payable to any oilier lemale dependent of a member of the Forces shall cease on her marriage." An important extension of the law as legards ‘‘special pensions" is proposed in the following danse : —(1) Aolwithstanding anything to the contrary in the principal Act, the Board may at. any lime grant a pension of such amount as it thinks lit to the father or mother of a member of the Forces if the Board is satisfied that the applicant for a pension under (his section has not adequate means of support. (2) This section shall apply notwithstanding (hill the applicant in any case may or may not be a dependent within the meaning of the principal Act. (3) Where an application for a pension in respect, of (he death or disablement of it member of the Forces'is made by the widowed mother of such member, and such member was her sole support, the pension granted to the applicant shall not in any case be less than would have been granted if the applicant Wiis the wife of the member in respect of whose death or disablement Ihe application is made. I he danse, unlike the original Act, omits all reference to the ages of (lie applicants, and extends (he law so as to apply to the parents of disabled soldiers as well as to the parents of deceased soldiers. The Bill extends the privilege as to the payment of pensions outside Xew Zealand. Pensions may be paid to soldiers, or a father, mother, wife or children, but not to any other dependent, without regard to residence. Provision is made for the extension of (he benefits of the Ae( to certain naval men, who, although paid by the New Zealand Government, are not members of the New Zealand Naval forces. Ihe Pensions Board is authorised in special cases to grant a pension to a person not otherwise entitled thereto, biR who satisfies the Board that he Ims not .sufficient means of support and that he has suffered loss because of the death or disablement of a member of the Forces. Another clause provides that in eases where persons are receiving pensions from the Imperial Government or other Governments of the Empire, the amount of such pensions shall be deducted from .the pension payable by the New Zealand Government,