SOLDIERS' PAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 38, 8 November 1918, Page 7

SOLDIERS' PAY

THE QUESTION OF STOPPAGES.' ■ "Stoppage of.pay is an essential part of tho punishment inflicted for military otaces;" said the Minister of Defence in reply to a question in the House of Representatives. "Stoppages for short periods.do not'atfect allotments, as these are adjusted by deductions from the pay ■issuable, to the soldier himself. Dependants' allowances are' not affected ,wbon soldiers are punished for any but the most serious offences. AVhen soldiers arc sentenced to imprisonment their alJfltmeiils are stopped, but allowances payable to their dependants, are continued for six -monlis after advice of imprisonment is received in New Zealand. AVhen soldiers desert, both allotments and dependants' nllowancesare stopped. It is considered that the forfeiture of, pay, allotment, and dependants' allowances in the case of serious offences is less inhuman in its ell'cct than similar punishment in civil life. • Mr. H. Polnnd (Ohinemuri)\ said he was not satisfied with the answer. Be-' causo men had been guilty of some nilsdemeanour under military law, 6iirely it was very hard upon the" wives and dependants to have their allotment's stopied. It was a scandal that the allowances and allotments should be. dealt Thowith in that way. The Minister of Defence said ho wanted to remove the impression thai; they were treating soldier.v wives and dependants in the same way as the civil authorities treated the relatives of men who went into gaol. They were treating them very much more liberally than that. If a man deserted to the'enemy should they continue to pay his allowances and allotment? A member: AVhy punish (he wife and children? '('ho Minister: AYliy continue his allot-, ment and allowances? No, certainly not. Sfr James Allen concluded bv pointing out that'the allotments ■ of 'defaulters were not stopped until a period of six months had elapsed.