PENSIONS AS OF RIGHT.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1916, Page 6

PENSIONS AS OF RIGHT.

POSITION REVIEWED. STATEMENT BY THE WAR LEAGUE. The War League, which has all along interested itself the matter of pensions as of right for soldiers' dependents, has again had the matter before it recently, and the following statement has been prepared by the League and sent to us for publication by Mr. James Macintosh, vice-president of the League:— "Various members of the Government nave from time to time asserted that dependents of deceased soldiers are entitled to 'pensions as of right.' The Defence Minister has made the following statement (Dominion, February 29, 1016): 'I should like someone to define for me precisely what this demand pensions by rigkt", means.' "The Defence Minister had placed before him so far back as last December a clear statement by the War League as to what this demand for pensions by right means, and of the amendments that require to be made in the War Pensions Act, 1915, to give effect to it At the present time, when Ministers do not face this demand squarely, but by their utterances seem to'be.endeavoring to cloud the issue, and when also the attitude of the Government to the almost universal demand for pensions as of right, is seriously prejudicing recruiting, the War League thinks that the position should be once again stated clearly to the public. "Under the present Act, and subject to the maximum rates fixed therein, the amount of pension in every case is determine! by a Board whose decision is subject to approval of the Minister (War Pensions Act, 1015, Section 4, Subsection 3 c). It is impossible, therefore, for any man with dependents to know what pension they will receive. "The pension of a disabled soldier is subject to no reduction because of the possession of private property or income other than payment of public moneys by way of compensation, pension, or gratuity to which he may be entitled under any Act or Imperial Act. Section It) (1). The pension to which, the dependents of deceased soldiers are entitled is not a matter of right for the following reasons:—

(1) In determining the rate of pension payable to a dependent of a soldier the board shall take into consideration the property or income from all sources of "the dependent and of all persons liable at. law for the maintenance of the dependent. Section 15 (2). That is tc say that the Board may say to the dependent: 'ion have such and. such an income, and therefore you shall have no pension'; or 'You have no income, but ypur relations, liable at law, have ahuridant meins, and therefore you shall have no pension.' "(2) By Section 16 the Board tnay reriew its determination in the event of the circumstances Of a pensioner or of a claimant for a pension being altered, or for any other sufficient reason, and on any such review may, subject to the approval of the Minister, grant or withdraw any pension. "The Board may therefore give to a dependent a low pension or no pension at all, or, having given a pension, mav withdraw it, "(3) The pension is not a matter of right because (except in the case of the father or mother of the soldier, and except -in cases mentioned in Section 22, summarised by the marginal note as nurses and other persons not members of Forces), it is not payable to any person who is not a bona-fide resident in New Zealand. If, therefore, a New Zealander married an English girl, fights for his country, and is killed, she is not entitled to a pension if she returns to England, where her home, her parents, and all her relations are. "(4) The pension is not a matter of right, because if the soldier dies in New Zealand the Board may for the purpose of computing the pension payable to the dependent, take iiito consideration the fact that * the soldier's death took place in New Zealand (and may in consequence make that a ground for reduction of the pension). "What is meant by pensions as of right is this: That in'the case of a doceased soldier: '•(1) The pension should be a fixed amount to the wife and to each of the children, without any aggregate maximum, without any reference to the property or.income of the wife or of any of the children. or of ai)y person liable at law: ' for their 'maintenance. Neither the Hoard nor the Minister should have any power to reduce that pension or to vithdraw it, ''l:'., In the case of dependents oilier than the wife and children, tin* Hoard should not take into consideration i,!>e property or income of the ui'Ticndents or of any person liable at law for their maintenance. "(3) The pension, in the case of wife, child, or any other dependent should be payable to such dependent, whether he or she is resident in New Zealand or elsewhere. "(4) The pension should not be liable to reduction because the soldier died in. New Zealand.

"Short of adopting Hie whole of suggestions 1 and 2, the Government could improve Hie Act in one or other of the following directions:— "It, 'could make suggestions No. 1 apply to (a) wife and children, (b) father and mother, (c) brothers and sisters only, or (a) only or (a) and (b) only, leaving the other dependents in their present position. "It could provide that the pension should sot be liable to reduction on account of the possession of property or other income by the pensioner, where the pensioner's income did not exceed, say, £3OO a year. "The-War League, invites the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence: "(a) To point out if any of these statements are erroneous and, if so, in what respect. "(b) To say whether they will recommend to Parliament when it meets all or any of these suggestions. "A plain unambiguous statement on these matters would do more to stimulate recruiting than any amount of canvassing done by recruiting boards or »ny number of ■ recruiting rallies. '"lt is unfair to say that the voluntary "•stem of enlistment has failed or to ■V»rald the manhood of the country p or not enlisting until the country has nle certain and ample provision for s ' mid their dependents."