WIDOWS' CHILDRE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 286, 29 August 1919, Page 7

WIDOWS ' CHILDRE

AND THEIR PENSIONS , RECOMMENDATION BY CHARITABLE AID COMMITTEE With,regard to tho matter of widows' pensions, reported the Chari'.able Aid Committee to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board yesterday, referred by. the board to tho committee, with a request that the latter should express its opin,ion unoi "what it considers ehould bo amended in the present Act," the committee reported as follows: — "It. finds that the method of the Act of 1911. making tho amount of the pension to the widow depend upon the number of her children, tends to the general belief that there is, in point of fact, no pension for the widow herself, but only for the children. ' . "It is of opinion that this should be amended by the allocation of separate and distinct amounts for the widow and her children, and it thinks that' the amount so to be allocated to the widow, for herself, should be 30s. per week. "It is of opinion that the allowance for the widow's children ehould be arranged on a sliding scale graduated from 15s. per week in the case of one child, and every subsequent child 10s. "It is also of opinion that it is desirable that some scheme ehould bo formulated uhder whioh widows as such, that is. although without dependent children, should be eligible for a pension. "In regard. to • the conditions under which pensions are granted it considers: ,-(l) That.all'.moneys;received by. -a' widow from benefit societies, compensation under the Workers' Compensation Act or compassionate allowances ehpuld be treated as 'property,' and not ae' 'income.' (2) That the exemption for "personal earnings' should be fixed at J2OO, instoad of .£IOO, »s at present." , . . There was a long discussion on the report, most of the members agreeing that a minimum was being asked in. 10s, for child after the eldest (for which ,15s. was asked).'. Mrs. Beck thought that the amount of 15s. was little enough for each child in these times. Mr. C. M. Lolco thought that there would not be much difficulty in getting the proposed recommendations-, on the" Statute Book, as no fewer than three twrties in the House were looking for votes. . . i • Mr. G. Petherick also thought that the time , was opportune, seeing that there was a eeneral .election ap'proaching. It was decided to send the proposals, which were' adopted, round to all other boards for endorsement. ....