PENSIONS LAW

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 17 July 1929, Page 3

PENSIONS LAW

IMPROVEMENTS ASKED FOR no INCREASES AT PRESENT STATEMENT IJV MINLSTEft (By Telegraph) (From "'.l'lie Mail's" Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, 16tli July. The question of improvements in pensions legislation was discussed briefly by ilic Minister m charge, ul the L'ensions Department (tl)e Fltrn. W. A. Veitch) in tin: House of Representatives, this afternoon iu replying to I lie debate on tbe presentation of the Pensions Report. it could not bo said that the system was not. capable of improvement, lie said, though much had been done, by Parliament already to remove anomalies and extend the benefits. Notwithstanding all the disabilities which might lie complained ot .Sew Zealand had u pensions system ot which she might be proud. In proof ot his assertion that the pensions law was being sympathetically administered, .Mr Veitch said that during the past year the. net pensions expenditure had increased by £108,053. New Zealand con Id afford the money. It had not, been the policy a[ the Goveminent to cut down expenses by withholding pensions. Touching on .the question of pensions reciprocity with other countries the Minister said ho had been, in correspondence in the matter but nothing had been finalised. Even if an agreement was reached the Government would have to seriously consider the financial position before coining to any decision. The ideal thing would be Empire reciprocity, but that could not be. regarded as practical for the moment as the cost would be far beyond the resources of New Zealand and "the. other countries within the Empire. The fact that there was now a new Government in the Old Country might produce a different attitude at Home in regard to reciprocal pensions. if nil the increases in pensions which members asked tot were granted the cost to the country would be staggering. and he would not say there wus any possibility of increase being made in the near future. The Government must lake, the responsibility for making pensions advances according to the circumstances of the day. Of all the improvements that were being advocated the one, that appealed to him most, was that of invalid pensions. The Government did not intend to economise at the expense of pensioners.

The Hon. T. M. Wilford, Minister in charge of War Pensions, said that all on the Government benches were agreed that the, whole pensions system must be reviewed in the near future. A blind soldier because he was receiving a small income from money invested lost an allowance that otherwise he would get for his children. The law should be altered. The thing should be done in one. big Bill and he would make recommendations to Cabinet in that respect. Pensions reciprocity between Britain and New Zealand must be brought about in th e near future. The former Minister of Pensions (the Hon. .7. G. Anderson) had made some move in regard to altering the pensions system, but a great deal had yet to be done before any proposals could be brought before the House. Regarding the att.ribulability of war service. Mr Veitch said he had given instructions that local doctors attending cases should give their opinion before decisions were reached;