DISABLED SOLDIERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 June 1920, Page 9

DISABLED SOLDIERS.

TARANAKI WAR RELIEF ASSOCIATION. ITS POLICY EXPLAINED. The chairman of the Taranaki War Relief Association (Mr. W. P. Kirkwood) writes as follows: At the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, a resolution was passed against War Relief Associations adopting the third sohedule of the War Pensions' Act, under which to pay out to ex-soldiers for permanent disability. The particular Association aimed at was tne Taranaki Provincial War Relief Association, but what was failed to be grasped is the fact that our Association only adopted the third schedule as a basis for the permanently disabled soldiers' scheme. The third schedule provides for visual cases, loss of a limb, an eye, etc., but our Association goes further; in fact, as far as is necessary, and makes a grant in T. 8., shell shock, gassing, together with any other case where an ex-soldier is suffering permanent disability brought about by war service. The N.Z.R.S. Association and the War Relief Association of Wellington propose that the proper method of dealing with permanently disabled men is to assist them on the principle of each case being dealt with on its merits. Such a principle is unassailable provided eitlier of two particular conditions are arbitrarily applied. The first condition is that a maximum payment to each individual must be fixed upon, taking into consideration the number of men to be assisted; the alternative condition is unlimited funds.

At the last meeting of the Advisory Board I enquired if a maximum individual payment was to be fixed'and was told "no"; the amount in every case would be decided upon after consideration of the merits of each case. One man might receive £IOOO, while another would only receive a small amount. This method is bound to cause dissatisfaction amongst the men. There must be some basis to work from, and this would not prevent special consideration where a ease merited it. At this point I wish to state that I am not writing so much in defence of this scheme adopted by our Association as in the interests of ex-soldiers throughout the Dominion, and what I desire to emphasise most is that if the proposal of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association and the War Relief Association of Wellington if- carried out there is a grave danger of the patriotic funds being depleted before all the permanently disabled men receive assistance. This is not an opinion formed hurriedly, but from experience of dealing in a comprehensive manner for assisting permanently disabled men. Our Association could not at the outset secure the necessary date for guidance as to the sum that would be necessary to set aside for permanently disabled men in the province of Taranaki, but we estimated that £25,000 would be sufficient for the purpose. This sum will undoubtedly be exceeded, and if a considerable margin haa not been allowed for, our finances would have been embarrassed. It must be understood that £23,000 Was considered sufficient only for men permanently disabled from 40 per cent, to 100 per cent. Another section of the scheme is now operating, giving assistance to 20 per cent, to 40 per cent, men, although this part of the scheme will not absorb a large amount. The total fund of our Association was approximately £04.000, and some of the larger centres in New Zealand with a greater number of men to assist do not to any extent exceed this amount, that is, for sick and wounded soldiers and their dependents.

■ It is to be realised that only a portion of these funds may be earmarked for permanently disabled men. The calls for assistance in other directions have been many. Some of the Associations are already paying out at a much higher rate than our Association, on the system of every case on its merits, which must make it plain that if this is generally adopted a number of permanently disabled men will not reecive the assistance that is due to them, owing to the depletion of funds. To work out a scheme that would prove positively fair and equitable, to all returned men is not possible. The best that can be done is to adopt a policy that will enable every man to receive an adequate measure of assistance. This we claim is being done by our Association, and meets with the approval of the Taranaki branches of the N.Z.R.S.A., and I think the donors of the funds.