PAY INCREASES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 174, 25 July 1942, Page 5

PAY INCREASES

Australia's Fighting Men And Their Dependents SOLDIERS TO PAY TAXES Special Australian Correspondent. Rec. 1.30 p.m. SYDNEY, this day Increases in soldiers', sailors' and airmen's pay, and in their dependants' allowances will be provided for in the Federal Budget to be introduced at the next sitting of Parliament. The rates of increases have yet to be announced. The decision to grant increases was announced by Mr. Curtin, Prime Minister, who said. "The Government has been considering the duty which the nation owes to its fighting Services, and will submit to Parliament as part of the Budget its proposals to improve payments made in respect to fighting personnel." Mr. Curtin said the announcement could not be made earlier since it had to depend on the outcome of the litigation on the taxing powers of the Commonwealth. The present Army rates of pay for lower ranks are:—Private 6/ a day, corporal 10/, sergeant 11/, each plus 2/ deferred pay. The Army pays an allowance of 3/6 a day for a wife, 2/6 for the first child, 2/ for second, 1/6 for each succeding child.

From the first week in August soldiers above the rank of private will have to pay tax on their earnings. The only exceptions will be members of the A.I.F. back in Australia less than three months.