RETURNED SERVICE MEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1943, Page 3

RETURNED SERVICE MEN

PENSIONS AND ALLOWANCES. GOVERNMENT POLICY OUTLINED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. “In response to requests from organisations interested in the welfare of returned servicemen, the procedure operating in connection with applications for war pensions on behalf of these men is again set out,” the Prime Minister said last night. Mr Fraser reiterated the provisions made for pensions and rehabilitation allowances, as set out by him on March 11, and said that, in order to ensure that every serviceman was fully advised regarding his rights and privileges, arrangements had been made for every member to be interviewed personally on his return to New Zealand or discharge from camp. He gave an assurance that the War Pensions Board gave a very liberal interpretation of the law, specially where the application for a pension was on behalf of a man who had served overseas. Mr Fraser said that the basic disability pension was £2 for a soldier, plus £1 14s 6d economic pension, £1 as a wife’s pension and 10s for each child. “However,” he said, “the Government has promised a very careful review of the rates of war pensions and these will be increased to meet the changed conditions now obtaining.” Of those returned up to the end of February, Mr Fraser added, the rehabilitation service had been directly responsible in providing 1033 with employment, 67 were either learning trades or receiving university tuition; 1082 had returned to their previous employment; 1042 had accepted em-. ployment with other employers; 150 had returned to their own businesses or farms and 61 had acquired businesses or farms. The State Advances Corporation had approved 760 applications involving £278,392 for the purchase of 33 farms, the purchase or erection of 158 houses, the purchase of tools of trade for 32 men, the purchase of businesses for 40 and the purchase of furniture for 497. Three hundred returned men had been allocated State houses or flats and 25 per cent of the houses erected were reserved for servicemen.