FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 69, 14 December 1917, Page 8

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

AID GIVEN TO SOLDIERS.

Ilie Minister of Deloueo has mado available lor publication some particulars of the work of tho i'inancial Assistance Hoard during tho month of November. ' This is iho board set up by .tho Government to consider appliRations made to it by soldiers or recruits who because of their special circumstances find the allowances made to them insufficient to discharge their obligations, and who are able to show that unless extra assistance is given to them they will suffer unduo hardship. During the month the board met on 21 occasions, and dealt with 932 applications lor assistance, including I(J9 cases which were np for reconsideration. Of this number 249 applications woro withdrawn and 19 wore deferred for further information from the applicants. In all 6(i3 grants of assistanco were made. Altogether 1012 applications wero received during the month, but 223 of these were not submitted to tlie board owing to the lack of necessary information which should have been supplied.

The board has hold 162 meetings to date ; and has considered GOO 4 cases, including 795 reconsidered cases. Of the cases in connection with which a grant has been authorised, 359 are awaiting verification of the statements of tho applicants as to their obligations, and when these can be certified to .tho grants will be paid. In the month of November the Minister approved of the payment of grants in 782 cases, representing an annual expenditure of £27,289 15s. lOd. This total includes 35 additional grants amounting to £807 12s. in annual value. The gross total of grants made to dato is 3441, of an annual value of £117,573 ISn. 4d.