The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1916. WAR PENSIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 May 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MAY 30, 1916. WAR PENSIONS.

The discussion which has taken place ir. the House of Representatives concerning the Government's latest proposals for war pensions has clearly demonstrated that there is a commenilaWy strong desire for the exhibition of greater generosity than the Government is inclined to adopt. We must, however, bear in mind that Ministers have to be governed nof iby their inclinations and 'desires, but by the financial conditions which exist at present, as well as those which may reasonably be expected to prevail in the future, for in the ease of pensions the charge on the country's revenue must necessarily extend over many years. If only present conditions had to be taken into account, New Zealand could afford to offer the most liberal pensions that the most ardent sentimentalists could desire, but as the future has to be considered it is onlywise and prudent to refrain from over-burdening'-the taxpayers in future years when the prosperity that is at present existing may have given place to less favorable times. The responsibilities of Ministers are far more serious than is generally recognised, and the most thnt can be expected of them is to carefully weigh all the facts and reasonable probabilities when framing such a far-reach-ing measure as that providing for war pensions. The question, therefore, Is whether this course has been followed, and whether the present proposals are the best that can be justly offered. According to the Minister of Finance (Sir Joseph Ward) the Government's proposals have received the most careful consideration by every member of the National Ministry, all of whom, he said, were anxious to do everything possible for the soldiers' wives and children. Where Sir Joseph went wrong in his

presentment of the Government's case was in laying stress on the claim of some of the members of the House that the basis of an improved scale of pensions should be the taxation of war profits. Sucli a claim is so manifestly absurd that it needs no attention, in view of the fact that the pensions must last long after the war has any effect on our revenue; moreover, until the close of 'hostilities it will be impossible to tell the number of soldiers and dependents for whom provision will have to 'be made. War profits should be taxed to the utmost limit, but for the purposes of general revenue. Already the pensions granted represent an annual charge of £93,01)0, and the number oi men returned from the front does not exceed 4000, while there is every prospect that tlie total number sent away will exceed 00,000. It must be recognised that at the present time it is totally impossible for any approximate estimate to be formed of the ultimate liability for pensions, especially in view of the fact that the fighting in which our men will probably take part will be of an exceptionally fierce nature. Then, again, no one can say how long the war will last, and if New Zealand does its duty to the Motherland, as it should, there will be heavy payments to make towards the cost of prosecuting the war, as the enormous financial strain on Britain must necessarily rapidly increase. All these and many other factors have to be considered in relation to the pensions scheme, and they present a formidable aspect. At the same time, New Zealandis in a far stronger financial position than any other of the dominions, while its future prospects are such as -to justify every confidence in the ability to meet not only all ordinary requirements, but the most liberal scale of pensions that the circumstances warrant. This is no idle .'boast, but a rational and well founded contention. If anv portion of the Empire should lead the way in liberality to its sons who have obeyed the call of duty it is New Zealand, and the National Government should be the first to exhibit confidence in the country's continued prosperity. Whatever department p_f the State may have to suffer in the future by reason of the obligation to pay adequate pensions (if such an unlikely contingency should ever arise), the inconvenience will readily be borne, for the first consideration must be the care of the wounded and their dependents, and above all the dependents of those who have laid down their lives for their country. We expect that the claims will be heavy, but we are prepared to pay; only let there be no paltry provision but a generous scale calculated to express in practical terms the feelings of honor and esteem in which we hold all those who are striving 'by feats of bravery to rid the world of the German war menace. We cannot do less than provide for those who suffer from the war as generously as possible, and the House will fail in its duty unless this debt of honor is paid to the full.