WAR PENSIONS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 573, 3 July 1933, Page 7

WAR PENSIONS

CONFfeRENCE REMITS SUGGESTED AMENDMENTS CONSIDERED BY N.Z. R.S.A. MOOTED APPEAL BOARD. War pensions and the after-treat-ment of incapacitated soldiers • were matters considered at length at the annual lneeting of delegates to the Dominion Council; qf the Rdtnrned Soldiers' Association held in Wellington last week, and a number of resolutions were passed on the reeommendation of tbe special committee, of which Mr. W. Perry (vice-president) was convener. A Christchurch remit was approved in . the following amended form: — "That the war pensions legislation be amended to provide that the wives or widows of ex-soldiers be eligible for war pensions whether married before or after disablement, outside or in New Zealand, and at any time after discharge, subject always to the qualifications' that the ex-soldier was in reasonable health at the time cf marriage. In view of the fact that the above representations have been reaffirmed by council for several years past and no progress has been made, this council as a whole should wait on C'abinet to urge these important reforms." "That the council make representations to the Minister of Pensions to have the Old Age Pensions Act, 1926, part, section 45 (1) amended, so that the old age pension can be granted to members of the South African and New Zealand Expeditionary Force soldiers on attaining the age of sixty years, and that the New Zealand Expeditionary Force soldiers be eligible for the extra grant of 5 s per week (£13 per annum) on the same basis as paid to South African veterans." (Dunedin.) "That suitable accommodation be provided by the Sta.te for1 ex-service-men whose condition, through war service, is not sufficiently serious to war_ rant their being committed to a mental hospital." (Invercargill.) Examination of Pensioners. "That ex-soldiers in receipt of temporary pensions in respect of which they are required to present themselves for periodical medical examination, be examined at the principal town of their own district, except where no specialist is available when required." (Invercargill.) Claiming that several cases had come under notice of pensioners developing ailments not connected with war service, the Invercargill braneh moved that the Department Medical Officers responsible for the periodical examinations should advise such pensioners to consult a doctor. It was decided to refer to headquarters for consideration a remit from Christchurch, "That the Government be requested to make civilian widows' pensions available irrespective of place j of residence to widows of New Zealand returned soldiers whose death was not attributed to war service." It was stated that a soldier's widow who returned to England after her husband's death could reeeive a _war widow's pension. If the soldier's death was not attributable to war service the widow could not reeeive a civilian widow's pension unless she resided in New Zealand. The following extra remit, submitted hy the committee, was approved: "That in the case of a totally -incapacitated economic. pensioner wh0 obtains work not more than one-half of his earnings, up to £2 per week, be deducted from the economic pension payable to himself and his dependants." The Appeal Board. Before the pensions committee's report was adopted, Mr. W. E. Leadley (Christchurch) drew attention to a report that the Auckland Patriotic and War Relief Association h'ad recommended the abolition of the War Pensions Board and the institution of a pensions appeal board in each island. Mr..Leadley urged that headquarters should give its attention to the matter and make a strong protest against the proposed change. Sir George Richardson explained that the recommendation was made with a view of avoiding _ the delay which occurred from the time an appeal was made until it was heard. Mr. Harper atrihuted the delay to the fact that the doetors who examined the appellants could give only two or three hours each day to the examination of appellants. The Appeal Board was doing good work, but was handicapped because the doetors were unable to give full-time service.