FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 5 June 1918, Page 6

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

THE POSITION AFTER DEATH OB I DISCHARGE. Sir,—l will be grateful if you can answer tho following query:—'WJieu does financial assistance, which has been granted to a Second Division reservist, cease to be payable?. I am not aware that this point has ever been decided. There are four possibilities:— (1) Financial assistance to cease on tlia discharge of the reservist fit and well and able to resume his usual occupy tion. *• (2) On the death on active service of the reservist. , • (3) On the discharge of the reservist totally unfit concurrently with the granting of a full pension. (4) On the, discharge of the reservist partially unfit concurrently with tho granting of a partial pension. And tho alternative is the granting of financial assistance as well as a pension. Case No. 1 answers itself and does not call for comment. With regard to cases (2), (3), and (i), niay I present a typical example which illustrates any case where financial assistance is granted and is typical o£ very many of the cases of married men yho are now being or are about to bo called to the colours. (a) A married man with a wife and two children earns ,£SOO to «CGOO a year, Ho is conscripted and granted;— Per weefc .£ s. d. Pay 1 15 0 Wife's allowance 110 Children's allowance 110 Financial assistance (say) ... 2 10 0 Clothes and food whilst away (say) 10 0 Total 7 7 0 Now, Sir, if this man is killed in action and'his financial assistance ceases concurrently with the grant of a pension to his widow and children, the most that can be granted by way of pension for widow and children is, I understand, (as provided T>y thee War Pensions Amendment Act, 191 V), £1 per week. The financial obligations of the widow, however, remain (with the possible exception of life insurance premiums), and the widow has to battle along on .£! per week (should such be granted) instead of M vs. per week, being the deceased soldier's pay, £7 7s. per week, less ,£1 per week, the cost of his clothes and keep whilst he was alive.

In case (3) all the liabilities remain,, and, I understand, the husband 'being; totally incapacitated, gets an extra .£1 per/week. In all, .£5 per week has to. 1 do ; the work of £7 7s.

In case (4) the position is not quite so had inasmuch as the partially incapacitated husband, while certainly not able to resume his ordinary employment, can at least earn something. All these points, Sir, are obvious to the ordinary thoughtful man. But what i does the Government propose to do ia ' the matter? • . ' Will financial assistance cease as indicated, or does 'the Government proposa to continue financial assistance, or soite measure of it, concurrently with the . granting of a pension. Surely these are matters which should be settled befor,e married reservists aro sent away. If the Minister of Defence has not overlooked them in his "repatriation" scheme—it is due to Second Division reservists and their wives that they 'should know exactly what they are to expect' in case any of the cont ; nfrencies previously mentioned should oomir.—l am, etc., INQUIRER.

1 [The Financial Assistance Board states that in ordinnry circumstances financial assistance ceases at the death or discharge of the soldier. The regulations, -however, provide for the continuance of grants in whole, or in part for any period not exceeding twenty-six weeks after the death of tho soldier. The war pension is granted from the date of death or discharge, as the case may Ik, ami it rests with the pensioner to approach the Pensions Department if unable to manage on the sum allowed. In tha f.ase of rwularly rcenrring items such as rent, financial assistance ceases, in ordinary circumstances, after the next payment following death or dischargethat is to say, at the end of the month. The secretary of .the Financial Assistance Board states that in the cftse ot quarterly or half-yearly payments to meet such obligations as rent and interest the board \yill meet ihe next payment after death or discharge witlim reason, so as to uvoid undue hardship .""lid allow dependants adequate time to make their arrangements. The bonnl made arrangements at the outset for payments to be continued for three months, or until the first instalment of the pension was paid, ,if withm that neriod. It has, however, seldom been found necessary' to continue W'« ent3 except in the ease of life insurance, rates, interest, ttc.l