Mr. THOMSON:

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is satisfied that the words "removal from duty" in the Royal Warrant are rightly interpreted when applied to the first time when a man was in hospital from a disability, although he subsequently returned to duty; and will he see that in future these words only apply to an effective, and not to a temporary, removal from duty?

asked the Minister of Pensions if widows of deceased soldiers are being refused pensions on the grounds that they were married subsequent to confinement in hospital on account of the disability of a similar nature to that of which the soldier eventually died, even although the said soldier actually served in the army after his marriage and was awarded a pension as a result of disability caused or aggravated by subsequent service?

Article 11 of the Royal Warrant, in its reference to removal from duty, was framed on the same lines as the corresponding article in the pre-War Warrants, with the object of giving compensation by way of pension to those widows only who had been married before their husbands sustained the injury or disease which ultimately led to their death. It is clearly not a reasonable liability for the State to be required to give compensation, in the event of death, where the man had married when he was manifestly not in a condition to undertake, with any security, the obligation of support involved by his marriage.

At the same time, it has been fully recognised that there are a few cases in which aggravation of the pre-marriage disability has been caused by subsequent service, the man having, in such cases, contracted his marriage when, to all appearances, he had recovered from the effects of the original disability. Cases of this class, in which it is clear that the man, after marriage, was returned either to general service or to service of such character as did not clearly indicate that he was permanently and seriously in a worse physical condition than before the original disability was sustained, the Ministry are empowered to meet, and do meet, where aggravation by subsequent service is shown.