THE SEAMEN'S TRUST FUND

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 8, 4 October 1918, Page 6

THE SEAMEN'S TRUST FUND

Sir,—Re New Zenlimd sheepowiiKis' acknowledgment of debt to British Seamen Fund, it is proposed to devote to the above fund half of the profits made by the Government on the sale of wool for other than war purposes. Permit the writer to point out that, as the profits will cease' to come in when the sale of wool ceases, that is a year after the war (which means about three years from now), the funds will be utterly inadequate to me6t the neeas of our seamen. The establishment of such a fund can only result in the sailors being put off with a dole instead of getting their rights. Let them be provided for so that they can walk into the officcs of the Admiralty demanding their dues, instead of coming cap in "hand with a woeful tale before a board of trustees asking for a dole which may very likely not be forthcoming. The need of the dependants of the fallen in this war will be a permanent one, and should therefore be met by a permanent and adequate provision on the principle that equ.'U sacrifice should carry equal reward. VVe understand that this is not to be tlio case, however, but that tie vicious principle of class distinction is lo bo introduced by the simple expedient of making the amount of the pension onefourth of the income of the fallen liusband. This means that the widow of a man whose income prior to tliu wai was £IUO will receive £25—barely enough to pay house rent and fuel. The widow of a private whose income prior to the war was £SOO would receive £200 —enough to live in comfort though not in affluence. The first widow in most cases will have to go to the benevolent as a pauper. Yet'both widows made the same sacrifice. What is the matter with the brains of the politicians if tliey cannot'draw up a better scheme than that? Let the money from the sale of wool go to' the Red Cross, and let the sailors have an adequate pension that will make them independent of doles.—l am, etc., ' H. C. TEOMSEN.

Carrington.