PENSIONS FOR VETERANS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 267, 1 April 1911, Page 5

PENSIONS FOR VETERANS

A PLEA FOR THE OLD WARRIORS. At the annual re-uniou of veterans on Thursday evening the question of a pension for'J>>w Zealand veterans as mentioned by several speakers. The question was introduced by Mr. Okey, M.P., in responding to the toast of "The Government and Parliament." Parliament, as everyone knew, lie said., was all powerful. They had been a«ked to do something for the veterans. It was thought that the State should recompense in some small way tie men who had fought and bled for their country. He sincerely hoped the matter would not be allowed to remain where it was. Parliament last session had been petitioned to grant a pension to veterans, the wearing ofthe war medal to be taken as sufficient evidence. A number of names throughout the Dominion had been sent in. Home were 93 years of age. Members must recognise that if the pension was granted it would not be for long. These veterans should be recognised while the chance existed. It would soon be too late. He felt; mire the colony would back theni up in the matter. Of course, the old age pension was available, but there were restrictions on this. He wanted this pension given as a free grant to the veterans for services rendered to the colony in. the past. He brought the matter up because he hoped it would come before Cabinet in the recess, and that when Parliament meets in July it would be fairly dealt with.

Mr. Jennings, M.P., as the son of a veteran, endorsed all that had been said. In fact, lie thought the best plan would be to allow Mr. Okey and himself to settle tho matter. It would then be done with satisfaction to the Ministry, to the veterans, and to all. Mr. Tiach thought that in addition to the medal veterans should have badges bearing a fern leaf with the name of the engagement in which they had taken part engraved thereon. The Hon. T. Mackenzie said that the veterans had done a lot of fighting, and very often in their old age did not get the consideration and comfort they deserved. It must be admitted that no government had done so much in the way of pensions as the present Government, which was spending between £300,000 and £400,000 per year in this way. He would be glad to make representation to help in their declining years those who had lead worthy lives. He did not know about the proposal to allow Messrs. Okey and Jennings to settle the matter. Tbey would first have to agree. He was afraid that if the Government did decide to vote, say £25,000, Mr. Okey would deprecate it as extravagance, whereas Mr. Jennings would call it philantropby. If he could get them to agree and unite afterwards it might be all right, but lie was afraid that this extravagance was adding to the national debt per head on every man, woman and child. The suggestion of a badge for each engagement he considered an excellent one. The veterans at Balaclava did wonders, but not more so than the veterans of Waireka.

Private Andrews hoped the Minister would not forget to giant the pension. The veterans would not last long. They felt they had earned it by fighting and bleeding for their country. Had it not been for them at Waireka, New Plymouth would probably have been ravaged. Captain Fitzherbert, in the course of his remarks, said he could not approve of Mr. Okey's suggestion that the war medal should be the pension tesjt. There were many men who could not get the war medal who had more Service than some who had received it. It was ridiculous that a man could not get a medal unless he had been actually under -fire. Every man who took part in the war should receive a medal, and the actual engagements should be distinguished by badges. Lieutenant Davis said that owing to the influence of the Veterans' Association several veterans had just received medals who should have received them forty years ago. He. objected to those medals being forwarded to the recipient privately by post. He considered they should be publicly presented at a parade.