20

A.—2

No. 20. New Zealand, No. 142. My Lord, — Downing Street, 11th April, 1913. I have the honour to transmit to Your Excellency, for the consideration of your Ministers, a copy of a letter from the War Office regarding the procedure to be adopted in verifying statements made by ex-soldiers residing in New Zealand as to their service in the Army, in connection with their claims to old-age pensions. 2. I should be glad to learn whether your Ministers are prepared to adopt the procedure suggested by the Army Council. I have, &c, L. HARCOURT. Governor His Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Liverpool, K.C.M.G., M.V.0., &c.

A.-l, 1914 No. 10.

Enclosures. Sir,— War Office, London S.W, 9th April, 1913. I am commanded by the Army Council to inform you that several applications have been received in this office from ex-soldiers residing in Australia and New Zealand for copies of, or extracts from, their discharge documents, for the purpose of supporting claims to the old-age pension. I am to point out that the regulations of this Department do not permit of ex-soldiers being furnished with duplicate discharge certificates or copies of official records, as if a man has lost his certificates of discharge from the Army they may, unless destroyed, be in some other person's possession, and are possibly being used in an improper manner. Moreover, in the absence of discharge certificates or other proofs of identity, this Department has, in some instances, no means of ascertaining whether the applicants actually served in the Army as stated by them. I am also to inform you that the Army Council desire to render every possible assistance in furnishing any necessary particulars, and in verifying statements as to Army service made by exsoliders in connection with claims to old-age pensions ; but, in doing so, they are of opinion that it is in every way preferable to deal with a Government Department rather than with individual applicants. With the approval of the Board of Inland Revenue, this course has been adopted in regard to claims to the old-age pension in this country, the procedure in such cases being that the claimant applie -, in the fi st instance, to the local Pension Officer. If the latter cannot deal with the case from the information furnished by the applicant, he then applies to this Department for the further information required. The enclosed specimen of old-age-pension Form No. 32 will serve to explain the procedure, and to show the particulars required, in order to trace a soldier's service. I am, therefore, to request that you will be so good as to ascertain whether the Australian and New Zealand Governments concur in the views of the Army Council, and whether, with regard to the information required for old-age-pension purposes, they would be prepared to adopt a similar procedure to that now followed in the case of old-age-pension claims in this country. I am, &c, The Under-Secretary of State, Colonial Office. E. H. Bbade. 0 A.P.—-Form No. 32.] The Old-age Pensions Act, 1908. To the Secretary, War Office, Whitehall. A claimant who states that he has served in the Army, and that his name and service particulars are as set forth below, alleges that, having lost his discharge records, he is unable to furnish the necessary evidence of qualification. I request to be supplied with such extracts from your records as are authorized to be given in the circumstances. , Pension Officer. ' Address.] Date 1. Claimant's full name: 2. Home address : 3. Name in which enlisted or discharged if other than his real name: 4. Place where born : 5. Regiment in which he originally enlisted and regimental number : 6. Regiment from which he was discharged, and regimental number in that regiment: 7. Date of discharge (important; precise date if possible): 8. Cause of discharge: 9. Place of discharge : 10. Whether claimant is now in receipt of any Army pension, and, if so, the amount :

0 A.P.—Form No. 32.] The Old-age Pensions Act, 1908. To the Secretary, War Office, Whitehall. A claimant who states that he has served in the Army, and that his name and service particulars are as set forth below, alleges that, having lost his discharge records, he is unable to furnish the necessary evidence of qualification. I request to be supplied with such extracts from your records as are authorized to be given in the circumstances. , Pension Officer. Address.] Date 1. Claimant's full name: 2. Home address : 3. Name in which enlisted or discharged if other than his real name: 4. Place where born : 5. Kegiment in which he originally enlisted and regimental number : 6. Regiment from which he was discharged, and regimental number in that regiment : 7. Date of discharge (important; precise date if possible): 8. Cause of discharge: 9. Place of discharge : 10. Whether claimant is now in receipt of any Army pension, and, if so, the amount: