RECRUITING BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 March 1916, Page 3

RECRUITING BOARD.

PENSIONS TO SOLDIERS' | DEPENDENTS INTERESTING STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. j (From Our Own Correspondent-) Wellington, March 20. War pensions and payments to soldiers' dependents were mentioned in a resolution adopted recently by the Khandalla'h section of the Onslow Recruiting Committee and forwarded to the Prime Minister, as chairman of the Recruiting Roard. Mr. Massey's reply contains some interesting references to the questions raised. ''With respect to the resolution passed af the meeting of the Khandallah section of t.he committee." writes the Prime Minister. "I would like to say: (1) That the (|iiestioi> of pensions is now under, consideration by the Government. I would like to point out to you that the principle which guided Parliament in putting Ihe War Pensions Act on the Statute Rook was that where the wife of a soldier was left well oft', instead of providing her with a further income, the money available should be used for increasing the pensions of those not well oil'. Tt is true that in considering some of the first applications the Roard did not interpret some of the sections of the Act as liberally as they might have, but thev have since reconsidered most of the pensions first dealt with, and have new asf.c-.pcd them upon a more liberal bn'ir.. (2) T do not quite understand what is meant when yon say the wives and other dependents of men on active service should receive better consideration than Ihev are at present getting. In addition to whatever allotment a soldier may make out of his pay, the Government provides 7s a week separation allowance for the wife, and has recently decided to pay lis <>d per week for each child under lfi years of age up to the number of four, with a limit of £2 His per week. The provision with respect to children has been made retrospective. ''l realise the difficulty of the position with respect to men with families and financial obligations, but I am sure your committee will understand that it is impossible for the Government to differentiate between the men who enlist in the Expeditionary Force. The Recruiting Roanl is not urging married men with family and financial responsibilities to enlist at present, because it recognises that there are many men without dependents who should first be approached and asked to serve. But it is in the interests of those men* themselves that the Roard should have all the information concerning tlicm that is now locked up in the National Register under seat of confidence imposed by statute. The information is needed in order that preparation for anv contingency of the future may be made on a fair'aml equitable basis. The Recruiting Roard, therefore, urgently asks that the personal canvass should not be relaxed in any way until every man of military age who Is on the Register has been aocounted for."

Referring to the Prime Minister's letter. a member of the recruiting committee said that the Recruiting Board was slow to understand the situation from the point of view of the men who were being asked to serve. "Mr. Mhscy tells us.' he said, "that at one stage the V, ar Pensions Board did not interpret the law liberally, but that it lias since reconsidered most of the cases first dealt with, and has assessed them on a more liberal basis. In other words, the amount of the pension depends not upon the law, but' upon the will, or whim, of the Pensions Board. This is the whole ease in a nutshell. During recent weeks the Pensions Board has interpreted the Act in a liberal spirit and few complaints nave been heard. But there is nothing to prevent the Board changing it? policy a»ain, and the soldier has not the sense of security he should have. We want the Government to give legislative form to the policy the Board is pursuing at the present time. Then there will be no room for doubts or misunderstanding"."