MARRIED MEN AND THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 17, 15 October 1917, Page 4

MARRIED MEN AND THE WAR

SEPARATION ALLOWANCES

POINTS FOR PARLIAMENT TO CONSIDER

The following letter has been addressed to members of the New Zealand Parliament by the Central Executive of the Second Division League. It relates chiefly to the separation allowances:— "The league, in yiew of the faot that Parliament is to be given, in opportunity to review the regulations governing tho ecalo of separation allowances proposed by Government, and, if members pee fit, to move for an. Lnorease," states tho circular, "we venture to respectfully bring under your notice tho following points: "The total amount of the expenditure on separation allowances oann'ot be termed an annual liability. The amount will increase from month to month in accordance with tho drafts cent forward, and decrease in accordance with the discharge of men or transference of liability to the Pensions Department. Only the interest on the amount expended can be regarded as an annual liability. The Government's proposals are: For the wife, 3e. per day; for each child, Is.; for widowed mothers, Is. 6d. per day. Tho proposals of the 9Scon3 Division League are: For the 6s. per day; for each child, Is. 6d. per day; for widowed mothere (if wholly dependent) an amount equivalent to a wife. "The league holds that the deferred pay of the soldier should be reserved for liis return, to help to set him on his feet again, and should not be teed for the maintenance of his dependants during his absence. This principle applies now in regard to single soldiers who have no dependants, and is certainly more necessary in the case of married toen. "The Government's proposals, including the deferred' pay of Bs. per day. admit the necessity of a wife being provided for to the extent of (£2 2s. per week. The Government's nevr scale of pensions to children acknowledges tho necessity of providing the separation allowance of 7s. 67. per day for each child, as asked for "br the league.

Widowed Mothers. "With, reference to widowed -tnothem, section 7, subsection 3, of the W ar Pensions Amendment Act, 1916. acknowledges the equality of a widowed motlifW to a wife in ; the case of the death of 'a member of the Forces, and the league holds that logloally the same equality most exist during the life of the mesiber of the Forces. It is therefore astdd that in framing the regulations the widowed mother (if wholly dependent upon the soldier) should be provided for to tie eitcnit of 6b. per day. We understand that it is proposed to extend the income embargo in the case - of widowed moithers from 7s. per week to 10s. )per wee£» but as we also understand that the do-age pension has been inoreased to 159. per week, tho extension referred to does not meet the proposal of the league that the receipt of the old-age pension or an equivalent inoome from any other source, shall not debar dependants from paraci. • pation in benefits. It would thereijore be necessary to secure an extension of the income embaTgo to 15s. per week,.. "We also respectfully submit that the provision of separation allowances for other dependants should be given fasoujr- I able consideration by members, as liability in suoh oases is recognised nnder tH® War Pensions Act. ' . "The leneue also holds that a chronic invalid wife should be grante3 10a. per week extra; and a chronio invalid chili 6s. per week extra. (No aae limit to; apply to such chronio invalid children.). The league also strongly contends that 1 allocations and allowances should not be affected by the misconduct of the soldier. It is well known that offences that would be considered trivial in civil life are made the subject of Ion? terms of punishment under the military regulations, and it is absolutely wren? m principle that the dependants of soldiers should be made to suffer m such' circumstances. '"Definite provision is also asked tobo made for tho continuation of separation allowances until pensions are granted. The league also holds that a special ra'tion allowance of 2s. fid. nor day should bo provided for all soldiers on final leave. ,

"Aocording to Hansard, No. 26, page 416, the Minister of Defence stated that the estimated liability per annum at September SO, 1018, on the Government's proposed new scale of separation allowances, would be .£2,037,691. The actual expenditure on separation allowances on the Government's scale for the year ending September 30. 1918, works out approximately as follows: — Dependants of married soldiers already serving (3 months at old Tate and 9 months at new . rate) -£600,GG0 Dependants of Second Division ' / men (say eix monthly drafts of 1921) 2'9,594 : Total "'4820,259 "The expenditure for the ending September 30 next on tho leagues scale of 6s. per day for the wife, Is. 6d. per day for each child, and widowed mothor equivalent to wife (if wholly dependant), calculated as indicated above, would be approximately .£1,482,842. The annual liability would only be tho interest on this amount. . 4 "On the assumption thab the amount of .£2,087,691 quoted by the Minister of Defence as the estimated liability has been provided for as the oost for the year ending September 30, 1918, it will at once be seen that -there is a margin of i£554,849 to spare over and above the estimated cost entailed in granting tho full proposals of the leaguo. It must be remembered that tho cost entailed bv provision for dependants of tho second Division will from the outset be a graduollv increasing monthly liability in accordance with the number and strength of the drafts sent."