SOLDIERS' GRATUITIES.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 September 1919, Page 3

SOLDIERS' GRATUITIES.

THE GOVERNMENT SCH EME

WELLINGT ON, Sept. 19‘

The following is the scheme of 501diers’ gl'3l'lli'fi9s submitted to the House this afternoon by Sir Janms Allen:- _. NEW ZEALAND ’EXPED'ITION.\ '15:)-" ' FORCE. (a) Estimated cost of paying 21. gratuity of 1/*3 per day from embarkation to the signing of peace on 28th June, 1919, £5,095,000. (b) Additional to provide for a minimum gratuity for‘ two years’ sorvic-.2, in the case of members deceasm] while

on active service abroad £225,000. (c) Additional to provide for a, minimum g‘rl'a-tuity for 18 months’ sonic‘) in the case of members evacuated to New Zealand from’ an actual I'-heatre 01' war on account of sickness or wounds, £213,000.

(d) Estimated cost of paying the difference between the Imperial and New Zealand gratuity: (1) Army rexerviS‘.‘s and Imperial soldiers, £16,000; (:31: naval reservists am’? nlembC—ls of Mo‘r.or Boat Patrol, £23,000. " (c) Rot-rosp’cctive childrmfs allow9.nc:e, £549,000. 0 (f) Estimfaed cost of increase-‘1 allowance to widowed mothers and other dependents on -the revised basis of pre—cnlistenlent support up to a. maximum of 3/ _a day, with retl'oSpe=3l‘l\'e cffct if neciessax-y, £50,000.

(E) Estimated cost. of retrospective pa.ynlent at Expeditionary Force 1-ate of fiaiy to members, of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (including home service branch) who received a lower territorial rate of pay for the first ca‘.endar rnonth of their service in Camp in New Zealand_ (h) E:tinm,ted cost of [)Zl§‘ill£‘j ‘..";e d:lf’feren-ce between the lmpm-ial 2'ut(~.< of pay and allowances and New Zealand rates for equivalen’r. ranks; to army and navy reservists. nurses and soldiers ellliste(Tin .Imperia.l units an-;l members of the Motor Boat. _Patl'o3, who were domiciled in New Z-ealand: (1) Married (lcss any supplementary allowance already paid from New Zealand funds), £18,840; (2) Single, £81,540. , -f’ Grand total, £e.o43‘3sn. ‘ It is proposed: (a) To remove by legislation the restriction which nov.‘ debars the payment of a disablernrant pension to the wife"oY :1 disablecl’sol~ dier who marries’ outside New Zeahuzd after disablement, provided the marriage takes place during the periocl of his military serviée; (‘-3) to give I,o'Wel‘ by legislation to the War Pensions Board to consider tor ]ension spe-'.-iai cases where marriage. with :1 disabled soldier takes place more than two years after discharge If_§])éCial circumstairces warrant the grant of dis:l.ble~ ment pension .

If a returned soldier not in 1-eceip* of a pension wishes to insure his lif: n/113' loading of premium on accolu:t. 01. impaired health occasioned by serviee will be paid by the Go\’ol'llnlol‘.t provided that (a) insurance is effected through the Gave:-nmenfi» Life In.<uz--ance Department; (b) the Sum assured does not exceed £500; -'0) the :=nl(l.iel' makes application on or before 31st December 1921; (d) the scildier has paid the ordinary premium. .!x.pplie2.--tion should be made to the Se<:v'etal-37. I<‘inancial Assistance _T’.oard, Panama iqtreet. Wellington. THE PROPOSALS BEFORE THE

' HOUSE_ 1 :‘\D()P’l‘l'O‘N POSTPONED :I‘-.'l‘ REV QUEST OF OPPOSl'l‘J«i_)_\’. During the al’tol-noon sussioii Sir Jaziivs Allfin I‘eari,.‘ 10 the 11011.-9 the schcine for soldiers’ grautuities. and movo<l that rho papm' be laid on 1:110 table of the I-louse and be pl'ini«:-d. Sir Joseph \Va.l‘tl .<a'l<l the matter was 21 very important (mu, but in 1110 form in which it was ‘m-ouglit down no one had an oppoi-Limity of going carefully into the proposals_ Ho thought nl€'mbel‘s .H‘hOul'l have an op'lportunity of going carefully into the ‘proposals. He il1o11gh!< members should have an oppol-fimity of consulting with their fellow mc:ml3(_-rs about them. They might agree with them, and they might not; but he w:l_-,- not prepared to blindly ac.C.:]_Jt them. He suggested the debate should be adjourned fill Tuesday, so mcmb9,;-s, would have time to carefully consider them. He might even have to move a motion 011 the matter.

The Hon. Mr Massey: The hon. gnntlmnan can obstruct if he likes Sir Joseph Ward sai-‘:1 he hm! not thought of obstructing. Mr Massey said the hon. gentleman should wait till he knew what tltc. Govornment proposed. to do_

Sir Joseph Ward said he had an undoubted right; to ask for time for consideration of the pl-opogggls, and .118 was not seeking to create obstl‘uc’€ioll- - mol'ol3’ made a friendly suggestion. Mr Massey‘ said the gdsitioli wag flu-Govm'llnl-ant. hnfd ]_)'_)Wol‘ and authority under existing iCgiSlfltioll to pay gratuities out without delay, «but they 11:16. no intention of doin}; so. They had taken members into fheir confidence,

but he noticed during {he last few

days a tendency to obstruct businL=‘.~:s Members: No, no.

Mr Massey, continuing‘, said what. he had in mind was tha‘tTa.s soon as the Minister of Defence finished his statement to ask the House .to .21-djourn till 7.30, so that in the interval members ml'gh't. have-an opportunity to ca.lnll’y consider the proposal. ‘ Sir Joseph .Ward said the proposals were too big and importanf -to be rushed through. He again asked that the discussion be adjoui"-nod till Tuesday.

Sir James Allen said that so far as the law was concerned there Was no need to bring the scheme before the House at all, but as members were in session he thought it right to place the matter before ‘tli'eil‘n. The position was vloal'}_\' set out in -the Expeditionary E‘m-<3»-s Amendment Act, and lie wished to remove what he feared was a common. miSapp,‘.‘ehension ‘that fthis was payment for services. rendered. It was a.‘ free gift from the people of New Zea(Continued on page 6_)