PLEA FOR PENSIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 July 1922, Page 5

PLEA FOR PENSIONS.

SAD CASE OF ORPHANS. EX-SOLDIERS IN BAD HEALTH NO INCREASES AT PRESENT. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. ' Pensions were discussed in the House today, when the Minister of Pensions presented a departmental report. Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Opposition) mentioned a case which he thought should receive publicity. A man left the railway service, thus losing superannuation rights, and later he returned to t it as a casual hand and died, leaving a widow and several children. The widow, though getting no superannuation l>enefit, was qualified for a widow’s pension, but before she could apply for it she died, leaving the children without means. Mr. WiJford pointed out that there is no laM in the country under which these child'' ren could be assisted, and he thought their case merited some considerafion the hands of the Government. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) pleaded for favorable consideration, for ex-gofr diers who had lately developed sickness and who, because they cannot now prove this was due to war service, are unable to get pension benefits. He thonghi the Pensions Appeal Board -was too con* servative in its view on apptieationat from ex-soldiers. What was needQdl was a new and more elastic definitiOMf •of war disability. ( The Minister, in reply, said the peß.*4 sions expenditure was already too gresft for the country to bear, and increaaM were not possible until the financial poai« tion improved.