PAY AND ALLOWANCES

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 196, 8 May 1918, Page 6

PAY AND ALLOWANCES

IN EMPIRE COUNTRIES

A COMPARATIVE STATEMENT

NEW ZEALAND LEADS

In view of tho fact that married men with children arc now being called up for service- in this country, tho following comparative statement of t'-.o rates of pay and allowances in New Zealand and other flirts of the British Empire is in.teresting. The statement is issued with the authority of the Minister of Defence. Following nre the rates iu tho different countries:— Weekly Rates. Great Britain. AllowPay. auce. Total, s. d. 6. d. £s. d. Private 10 G Wife only • 9 0 019 6 „ aud 1 child 16 0 1 6 G „ and 2 children ' 21 0 -1 11 6 „ and 3 „ 21 6 115 0 „ and i „ 27 6 118 0 „ and 5 „ 30 6 2 1 0 Canada. Allow- , Pay. ance. Total. £ s. d. £ s. d. £ a. d. Private 0 12 1 Wife only 1 0 10 2 12 11 [In Canada there is no allowance for children, so that this total of £2 12s. lid. can never be exceeded, however many children the soldier may have.] Australia. AllowPay. ance. Total. £e. d. .£ s. d. £s. d. Private 2 2 0 Wife onlv 0 13 5 215 5 „ and 1 child ... 0 16 11 2 18 11 „ and 2 children 10 5 3 2 5 Land 3 „ 13113 511 „ and 4 „ 17 53 9 5 „ and 5 110 11 3 1211 New Zealaud. AllowPay. ance. Total. ■ £s. <1. £s. d. £s. d. Private 1 15 0 Wife only 11 0 21G 0 „ and 1 child ... 1 11 6 3 C 6 „ and 2 children 2 2 0 3 17 0 ~ and 3 „ 212 Gi 7 G and i „ 33 0 418 0 „ and 5 „ . 3136 58 G The children's allowance in New Zealand has recently been increased from 7s. to 10s. 6d. per week, and better provision made for widowed mothers and dependants of the soldier. Widowed Mother, A widowed mother dependant on tlio soldier, if her total income apart from allotment does not exceed 15s. per week or if her capital docs not exceed JCSOO, is entitled lo an allowance of 10s. Gd. per week. Tho practice is to consider the widowed mother eligible for the allowance if she has ono soldier eon, or if the has ono siusrle son and one or more married son.*. " If she has two single sons it is considered, that, the wins ourlw to be able to provide for their mother by allotments. The income which debars the widowed mother from receiving the allowance has quite recently been raised from 10s. to '.ss. per week. This rise makes a widowed mother in receipt of full old-age pension and tho war bonus eligible fo. the allowance. It is also opening the door to widowed mothers who have incomes of 15s. per weok. It also meets the case of widowed mothors who were in receipt of widow's portion on account of their children. ■ The capital which the widowed mother may possess has been increased from «£2oO to .£SOO, thvs removing a limitation which prevented .some from claiming the allowance. Tho position of tho widowed mother will bo :—

Per ' week. £s. d. Allotment, Pay ,-• I 1 0 Old-age pension, if in receipt thereof, or with other income. 0 15 0 Widowed mothers' allowance ... 0 10 6 £2 G 6 Other Dependants. Other dependants of a, soldier being relatives will be entitled to claim an allowance equivalent to tho amount paid by the twldier for the support of the relative during tho twelve months prior to iiis enlistment, provided that this shall not exceed 10s. 6d. per week. If a private soldier has a widowed mother and a sister dependant on him, and tho conditions above stated can be complied with, the position will be:— Single Man. Per week. £ s. d. Pay 115 0 Widowed mother 0 10 6 Dependant sister, up to 0 10 6 £2 1G 0 Married Man With Three Children. Per week. £ s. d. p av 1 15 0 TCife ;."" :. no Three children 111 6 Widowed mother 0 10 6 Dependant sister, up to 0 10 G .£5 8 6 The soldier is fed, clothed, cared for medically and dontally, and if he has obligations for rent, insurance, interest, etc he lias an opportunity to claim assistance in respect of these from the Financial Assistance Board. The wife of the soldier in case of confinement or liaving to undergo an operation can also receive assistance from the Financial Assistance Board. If she or her children become in or out-patients m a. public or Government hospital during the soldier's absence from New Zealand on service the cost of treatment will be borne bv the Public Healtl, Department. It will be realised that in very many instances fhe soldier'* wife, children, ontl other dependants will .be bstter off financially than they were before the soldier's enlistment. ~,... It must also bo remembered that the , military income of the dependants of a soldier'is assured, whereas the husbands oamin.R3 in civfl life are not always continuous, because of such causes as unemployment, sickness, wet weather, etc.