PENSIONS LEGISLATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 September 1917, Page 4

PENSIONS LEGISLATION.

[ FOR SECOND DIVISION MEN. / An-urgent question relating' to tlie calling up of the Second Division of . I the Expeditionary Force Reserve was put to the Minister for Defence on Friday i afternoon by Mr. W. A. Veitch, M.P. for iVa-nghnni. He had received a- telegram from the Wanganui branch- of the°Second Division League, said the hon. member: '•Learn that Class A to be balloted next month. Urgently insist legUlation based on League's proposals be passed before .ballot; also immediate arrangements for medical examination." That telegram, he thought, showed that there was some anxiety about the matter, and he asked the 'Minister to explain just what the position ;wa 3 and relieve that anxiety. Sir James Allen stated that he had seen two members of the League, MrArmstrong (president) and Mr. Chaplain, the day before, and they wanted the medical examination to take placa 'before the ballot; but he found that the department could not carry that out under the law as it now stood. He was anxious, however, to meet the League as far as possible. That could only be done by increasing the two months now given to the Pint Division between the ballot and being called into camp to three months in the cage of the SeOcnd Division; and to do that it would i» necessary to have the ballot for the first fllass • in the Second Division in October and fori them to go into camp in January. The two members of the League Were not altogether satisfied with that arrangement, because they still clung to the idea of having the medical examination before the ballot; and he was sorry to say the department could not carry that out. Whether legislation Would ba passed before the first ballot rested With the Government and with Parliament in putting through the necessary amendments to the Pensions Act. Those had not yet been decided upon by Cabinet, and therefore could not be brought down. Ho was anxious, however, to bring them down and put the legislation through before the end of September, and ho was sure the Government .would put it through as quickly as possible. ('Hear, hear.)

TELEGRAMS FROM MINISTERS. In reply to representations by the ej> eeutive of the New Plymouth branch of the Second Division League, the following telegrams have been received: "Amendment of Pensions Act on question of allowances to soldiers' dependents now being considered, and will be laid before Parliament as soon as approved by Government, The question of pre-ballot examination has sbeen most carefully considered, and I regret to say it has been found to be quite impracticable. It has, therefore, been decided that the ballot shall take place three months before the Second Division reservists are required to proceed to camp, in order to give ample time to reservists to arrange their affairs. You understand, of course, that they will also have the right of appeal.-rJ. Allen, Minister of Defence." "Your Jelegram received, and matter referred to will have' attention.—W, F. Masscy, Prime Minister." . '•'Your telegram received and the representations of. your league will haVe my earnest consideration when the whole matter is being dealt with by the Government.—J. G. Ward, Minister of Finance."