WAR PENSIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1735, 27 September 1917, Page 3

WAR PENSIONS.

THE BILL BROUGHT DOWN,

ITS FEATURES INDICATED,

Wellington, Last Night

The general clauses of the War Pensions Bill slioav a liberalising tendency, one empoAvering the payment of an extra rate of £1 Aveekly if the pension fails to bring the income up to the amount enabling the pensioner or AvidoAv to live in accordance with the standard of comfort Avhich they Avere accustomed to before the Avar.

The bill comes into operation on January Ist.

The Minister of Defence moved the second rending- of the Bill when the House met to-night. He expressed the opinion that the first class of the Second Division —which he anticipated would provide two reinforcements —would probably be called upon to enter camp either in January or February. The Minister gave a detailed explanation of the Bill, comparing it favourably with the pension schemes of other countries and with the average clerical and artisan wages. He described the proposed scale of pay and allowances to the wives and children. *T do not propose to make any alteration in the nay of cither soldiers or officers, but it is intended to increase the allowance to wives to 21s per week,’’ declared the Minister, He went on to explain that under the present regulations a warrant officer received (13s per week and a first lieutenant £4, but the lieutenant's wife received no allowance, so that with the guinea allowance to the wife a warrant officer would get the same as a lieutenant. In the new proposal a warrant officer with a wife would receive the same as a second lieutenant, while a warrant officer with one child would be better off than a lieutenant with six children. A single lieutenant would still receive £4 4s, but a lieutenant’s Avifc would receive a guinea allowance, making the total pay £5 ss. It was proposed to increase the children’s allowance from 5s 3d to 7s a week, so that a private soldier with a wife and one child under sixteen years avouUl receive G3s per week and 7s for additional child under sixteen years.

In respect of .dependents other than wives and children, it was proposed to increase the allowance to a widowed mother dependent on a soldier from 7s to IDs (id per week, and raise the amount of the increase she may otherwise receive from 7s to 10s. This would enable her to receive an old age pension of £2O a year and 10s (id a week for a widowed mother's allowance. In addition she could also have an allotment from a son at the war. At present an invalid father who is a widoAver and dependent Avas not provided for, hut under a new army order he would be provided for on the same basis as a AvidoAved mother, Avhile brothers and sisters under sixteen years Avould receive 7s a Aveokj the same as the other children. Special provision would also be made for financial assistance in respect to mortgage money and other liabilities. At present the maximum the Pensions Board could allow Avas £2 a Aveek. It Avas proposed to raise the maximum to £3. The Minister gave the folloAving estimates:— Annual liabilities 12 months hence: Wives, 25,842; allowances, £1,414,848 —increase £942,232. Children £33,208; cost £007,695 — increase £151,924. WidoAved mothers: 334; cost £334'; cost £9,053 —increase, £2,958. Total under the neiv rates, £2,037,091, not including pay to soldiers. These increases Avould place Mew Zealand considerably ahead of any other country.