WAR PENSIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1915, Page 4

WAR PENSIONS.

I HILL MOEORE PARLIAMENT. details of the scheme. (By Wire.—Own Correspondent..) Tl, iv r, W . ollin gtof, Last Night. by Cove,w enSlOnS BIU wa * introduced i^ 0U n rs message t he , roußc of .bT ? • Vt ' stcrJft y. 'The meain niy ' '' t >': Uyo c!a «ses, and deals m ft coniprciiensive way with the provision of pensions for members of tlio ? ii r i mi ■. f i It " c . 011 w ll ''' pensions are to IW SetfoHl ' in tll " SCheMc , ,1L I),e Pensions are to be paid o | | le consolidated fund, and the ' „ m ri -V"-t of the death f (l) '' xt,, "d to the -wife uid children if death occurs witliin seven >(. us ot the receipt of a 'wound or inJinv, or the commencement of the disease, provided that the death i„ due to the original wound, injury or disease. A War Pcns.oners l! fia rd, appointed (he Minister for Defence, is to determine the rates of pensions and other , ; ! U Z tb : a . ,mt y The board i- to lake into consideration any evidence that anay exist regarding wilful cond'jic. »„ the part of the soldier dur"lg lis period of service. The claim*' of the wHe. and children to a pension - u to llave 'precedence over the claim of anv Other dependent. Where a wif« or children are entitled to a pension the amount paid to anv other dependent must not exceed three-fourths of th« pension prescribed for a wife, and where no mU or children are so entitled the amount paid to any other dependent must not exceed the amount of the pension prescribed for a wife. A pension to tile wife of a deceased member ot the forces is to cease upon her remarriage, lmt in that case she may receive a gratuity not evecding two years' pension. An orphan child may he paid double the rat.e ordinarily prescribed for a child. A boy wift cease to draw a pension at the age of sixteen ) cars, but a girl's pension may be continued until the age of seventeen years is attained. A pension payable to any child fullering from mental or bodily infirmity may be continued indefinitely at the discretion of the board. In determining the rate of the pension payable to any member of the forces, the board will take into consideration a, 0 payment by way of compensation, pension or gratuity to which the member - may be entitled under any Act or Imperial Act, but shall not take into consideration any other property or income to winch the member is entitled. The • boaid is to take into consideration property or income from all sources. In marriage, but in that case she may review its decisions in the evont of the circumstances of a pensioner beina altered. °

Pensions are to bo payable as from the data of deatli or from the date of discharge In the case of disablement, a pension ia to be absolutely) inalienable, but it may bo suspended or withdrawn u) (lie board if the pensioner is convicted of any offence punishable by imprisonment for three months or upward* and clishononing him in the public esti* niation. Persons who are guilty of making false representations in connection with claims or pensions are to be liable to ii fine of £IOO, or to imprisonment for twelve months. Pensions are not "to 1 bo payable except to persons resident in New Zealand,

The schedules are lengthy and elaborate. The maximum rate payable to the widow of a private is £1 5s weekly, with 5a weekly for each child. The rates rise with the rank to £3 as week-

lv for the widow of a major-general, the rate for children remaining the same throughout. The rates in case of disablement arc: For a private £1 ss, with 12s fid for a wife and 5s for each child, uo t<> a maximum pf £3 weekly, with other rates in the proportion indioated in t : he case of death.