LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2820, 11 July 1916, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THAT WAR BONUS

, Sir,—A letter appeared in your edition of July 3 under the heading- .of "That War Bonus," written by "Patriot." The writer maintained that J'ublic Servants who were single or married but without children <lid not need a war bonus. It is unite evident from the nature of the letter that the writer is a .married man 01- woman with a family, and who is not satisfied with, the prospect of getting twico as big a war bonus as the single man, but would like to see him prevented from getting a war bonus at all. In my opinion he is a patriot to himself, there are hundreds of young men in the Public Serviec getting from XI to ,£2 a week, and a largo number of these are away ■ from homo. .Now "Patriot" considers that these do not feel the in-' oreased cost of living, and therefore do not need a war bonus. He does not think that a suit of clothes going up about J!I since tho commencement of the war; a pair of boots about as., or board going up in most cases from ISs. to .£1 a week, make any difference to these young men on small salaries. 1 know one cadet in Wellington who is nearly 19 years of age, and is getting JJ7B a year; after superannuation and insurance have been deducted, he receives .£5 lis. Bd. a month, .£4 Gs. Bd. of which goes for board. Of -jthe remainder,- 305., a quarter goes for coaching fees., Text books have also to Ire bought. (Every . person in the Public Service who wishes to get on must pass examinations.) Now, docs ''Patriot" 'consider that', this youth does not feel the increased cost of living? Perhaps he will say he should receive help from his parents, butican a youth of 19 years of age and the oldest of a laTge family expect help from -Jiis parents? But this is getting aivay from the point. He is not complaining of his salary, but he thinks "Patriot" is- far from being right when he says that to give him a war bonus would - bo supplying him with the means to live in luxury, because it would not—it would' only provide him with tho means to pay' his debts and buy a few extras which are absolutely necessary, but which he otherwise would not tie, able to afford. Owing to tho, number of Public Servants who have enlisted Mid have not been replaced, or have been replaced by inexperienced men or women, most of the Public Service 'Departments are working overtime. In those cases the whole of the staff are' working and not the married men alone. Why then should they complain if they get a war tonus and the single men get' half as much?—l am, etc., r CADET.