SOLDIERS' LIABILITIES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3116, 21 June 1917, Page 4

SOLDIERS' LIABILITIES

A WRONG PRACTICE

Somo particulars as to the work that' has been done by the Financial Assistance Board, which is dealing with theclaims of soldiers who have responsibilities tor an extra allowance from tho Government to meet certain classes of liabilities, wore given by the Minister of Defence yesterday. "Tho board," said the Minister, "has been very energetic during the month,, and has sat every evening except Sundays and every Saturday afternoon. Excellent progress has been made. During the month the board has dealt with 493 caste,; including G7 reconsidered cases. Of this" number 97 applications were withdrawn or declined, 78 were deferred for further information, and grants were made im 318 cases. It is very encouraging to learn that only 89 cases are now on hand ready for submission to the board. Applications are now being received ab 1 the rate of about 100 a week, and if this, figure is not increased, there will bo onlytwo or three days' cases on hand at theend of the month. . "The board has held 12 meetings to* date. It has considered in all 1296 cases, of which 1103 have been new claims anco the others reconsidered cases. They were dealt with in this way: 206 applications were either declined or withdrawn, 203 were deferred, and 828 applications were, granted. , , . ~ . "It has come to tho knowledge of thaboard, and to me as Minister, that certain insurance companies, or their canvassers, possibly unknown to the nnra-* agement, are leading applicants to believe that insurance premiums will be; paid by the Government regardless ot the circumstances of the case. They are' using this to induce men. to take upinsurance of larger amount, involving' premiums which the man would not' have been able to mectout of his ordinary income if ho were not taken as a I wish to warn first of all the insurancecompanies and their canvassers agamrtt this practice, and I also wish to warn, those who may be misled that the faov-. eminent cannot recognise liability in cases where it is obvious that a man hasi been led to take up a larger insurance policy than he would be justified in doing, in his ordinary life. Wo have already; had some cases in which the board hashad to decline to give assistance, and it; will cause very great hardship for somo-; men. But the practice must lie stopped. Sir James Allen mentioned as typical:' of the sort of thing to which the board, took exception the case of a young man, unmarried, who in civilian life had been I in receipt of a salary of £145 10s. per year, and who had taken out a policy for ,£IOOO, the premiums on which, witit tho war loading of .£SO a year, would amount to ,£7O per year.