FINANCIAL AID

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 132, 21 February 1918, Page 7

FINANCIAL AID

SECOND DIVISION LEAGUE'S ATTACK

MINISTER WILL REPLY ■ TO CHARGES

'Attacks have been made by the Sec)ond Division League against tho ad-

ttinistration of the regulations for l-financial assistance to reservists called jinto camp. The president of tho league,.. Mr. R. A. Armstrong, in his ! address at Tuesday night's ' meeting, 1 quoted the following typical cases to lishow. the mariner in which assistance [was being-granted:— ■ ■ ! : ' Case I.—Resen'ist drawn in Second jiDi'vision ballot. Applied for financial for' recurring. ..obligations [ (over and above living expense's) totalling £27 15s. 4d.; also asked re new I?life policy for £200. Board replied :;staiiirig ; : "With reference io your re-, (quest for payment of your premium on ,b; new.' life insurance policy for £200, >I regret t'o inform you'that the hoard :'to no authority to grant assistance the payment .of any but existing ■obligations. Information supplied jßs requested, and .final reply from the ibpard stated "regrets that it.caunot 'authorise any financial assistance in Jour case." Applicant working on j.wages, and his wife. sill, havfe.no in/eomo other.than his military pay allotbneut and' ailowanet/.. '...:■' Case 2.— Keseryist volunteered, before

Khe first Second 'Division ballot. Apjplied for financial assistance ;for recurWng obligations (in excess of living expenses) totalling £60 13s. lOd. ... Board [replied: "Took into consideration full (circumstances, but regrets that it canJhot authorise any financial assistance. {Board suggests you should arrange for (payment of principal to be deferred Muring your military service, and your swife should then be able to meet recurring, "obligations out of her allotment end allowances without any undue hardship." After meeting obligations, £76 19s. 6d. (£1 9s. per week) left for ■wife, , who is in delicate health, to keep her home going, feed and clothe herself,- etc.,' Keep place in repair, and itneet regular medical expenses. ' ■ Case 3.—-Husband ordered into camp t)ii March 6. Wife applied for financial assistance,'rent los. per week, also, new insurance policy. Board replied:, "Iα connection with life insurance,' the board can only undertake consideration of existing obligations, and any further obligation incurred should be ft matte) , entirely for your own arrangement. v I' would point out that jnny assistance granted by this board i-n-ill be subject to your husband making an allotment of 3s. 6d. per day in your favour."- Applicant replied: "(1) PreiSeiit income £3 18s. per week and war Jbonus; (2) wife no income; (3) asked ;for further consideration re insurance; (4) 'willing to leave 3s. 6d. aday to ■wife. Board's final reply: "Took into consideration full circumstances, but .regrets that it' cannot authorise any , financial, assistance in your case." Case 4.—Reservist'applied' for finan'cial assistance, premium and war risk ion new policy of £200. Explained that ■Icould not carry on policy unless grant iinade. Board's reply: -'"Cannot aufrthorise any financial assistance in your tease." -. , •.-■'' f Case s.—Civilian salary, £6 per {jweek. Made - application : for financial respecting rent, arid insiirlances, totalling £60 7s. Bd. Board replied regrets ''cannot authorise any assistance in your case." Apjplicant wrote asking whether the board Tiad not made some mistake, as grants -had been.made, to other similar applicants. Board replied application reconsidered and resolved, to grant life insurance premium, £7 11s. 3d., adding, r"the. grant has boon authorised subSect to your making an allotment of as,. 6dl per day in favour of your wife." I Case 6.—Applied for financial assistance, : rent, and .life, insurance, .tot'alI'ling £55 os. Board replied--granted: [.On account of rent, £13; insurance, £8 [65.;- total, -£16-55..-,- ■ '' , ■ : i Case 7.—Applied for financial assist-ance-respecting mortgage, -rates, • and insurances totalling £42 4's. 7d.;-civil-ian income £254 income of dependant after enlistment, £114. Board granted life-insurance, £13 17s. ..Case B.—Mrs. , one child, husband on service, allotment and separaiion allowances, 7s. -per day. Applied for rent, lls. per week, £28 12s: EβIfused. -.-••-. .- .-■-'.■.

! ; Case 9.—Reservist's average wage, j'£4 per Week; appealed with view of enjßuring adequate financial assistance. 'Appeal' Board recommended grant. Ap-' Iplied for rent (18s. per week), £46 Ja.6s.; life insurance, £16 13s. 5d.;. total, I'£63 9s. sd. Granted: Insurance, £16 Id3s. od.j rent on'account, £13; total, #29 13s. sd. This means that the reservist's wife, who is an invalid, will have £1 12s. 6cT. .per wsek'fof all purposes after paying balance of rent. I Case 10.—Mrs.' — -, tbreo children. KHusband volunteered. Applied for assistance, rent! of .rooms(l3s. per week, '■without mentioning the names of the /[(Board made: jjiant September, 1917:

Rent 13s. per week, £33 16s. Found just boforo husband sailed that an old insurance polic.v could be renewed if war risk .-wore paid. Mado application to the F.A. Board, which replied: "The resolution conveyed to .you in my letter of Septombor 5 last was rescinded, and in lieu thereof a fresh grant was uutliolicd, as follows: Jtent (on account), £13 per annum; life- insurance (including W-loading), £23 125.; total, £36 12s. Applicant'wrote' asking whether mistake heel not been mncV, as she found "it hard to believe that while giving me an increase for insurance they immedintely deprive mo of any benefit by reducing niY rent allowance by practically tlifi snmo nmonnt." Board replied; "You have-apparently omitted to take info consideration the fact, that voiir separation allowance has been increased as from .January 1 by 2s. per day and the allowance ni3cle on behalf of your children by 9d. per day, or a total of £50 3k. 9d. per annum. In view of this, yoii will'have no'difnculty in understanding the attitude and decision of the board." Case-11 (reservist).—Applied for financial assistance: Instalments on loan'£lß, life, assurance £6 65... rent i £'5810s.; total, £72 15s. Board granted': Part instalments on loan £12, life assurance £6 55.; total, £18.55-. Applicant asked for reconsideration. Board granted additional £26 per annum on acconnt of rent. Even then wife has, with. separation allowance and allotment, only £1 9s. 6d. per week.. Case 12 '" (comparative).—Reservist apnlied for financial assistance: Rent £78, life assurance £26 Is. 6d., fire insurance 18s. Bd.; tet.al £105 os. 2d. Board crranted: Reni, (on account) £52,' insuraiwo £26; total. £78. On further representations applicant got an increase to £86 16s. 10d. The next case cited was, the chairman declared, "the most shocking experience we have had yet." The details were:—

/'Mrs. r~~i three children (one born after husband left). Husband left with Fifth Reinforcements. Wife went to work to keep home going. When Financial Assistance Regulations were brought down in January, 1917, she applied for house rent, and was granted £39 per annum in April, 1917. For two years- she had to struggle on as best she could. Now F.A. Board has notified her that this grant has been rescinded. The notification is on a printed form indicating that the board contemplates a wholesale rescindment of grants made in view of the increased separation allowances. The form, which is printed, with spaces for names and amounts of grants, is as follows:— "Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board. "Wellington, 1918. "Dear ,—ln view of the increased separation allowances payable to you by tho Defence Department as from January 1,1918, the board, after carefully reconsidering your case, has decided to re- " scind its existing grant of -. "In arriving at this determipation.tne. board held thai; in accordance with your present circumstances, the above-mentioned-obligation can now bo met by you' without any undue hardship, and has instructed the War Expenses Department to discontinue payments. "Yours faithfully, ' ; - "S. J. Wills, Secretary." The chairman said they were getting other cases like this, so the circular appeared to be one that was being sent -.out generally. That was the reply to the increased separation allowances they 'had gained. i

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER;

INQUIRIES BEING MADE

Asked yesterday whether he wished to make any reply to the statements made, the Defence Minister said that he '-wished to. say to the public that there wore ■ generally two sides to. a question oi : this sort, and he would ask them to suspend their judgment until they had heard all about; the matter. He would reply to.-the charges as soon as lie was able, but in order to do_ so lie would require to have the assistance of "'the- Second Division League. Before ho could make investigation, into, the cases that had.been mentioned, he would require to be supplied with the names of the reservists. Every case was considered on its merits, and in all 7486 cases had been dealt with by the board. In the cases cited ho was fairly certain that the facts had not been fully stated, because the decisions as reported were not in accordance with the policy of the board. , Jf lie were supplied with the names of the men affected he would be very glad to present the full facts .to the public, men. He would also guarantee that the men in receipt of the grants would not suffer, in any way at all. A convenient opportunity will be afforded the Minister to make a fuller statement on the general' policy of the board .when'a deputation of the Second Division waits upon him this morning.