SOLDIERS' DEPENDANTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 16, 14 October 1919, Page 5

SOLDIERS' DEPENDANTS

ALLOWANCE APPLICATIONS REOPENED, Tho groat public interest taken in the amount of the war gratuities has somewhat obscured important proposals which voro made nt tho same lime by the Minister of Dcfenco in regard to allowances to widowed mothers and other dependants of warrant officers, non-com' missioned officers, and men (except wives and children), who have not previously applied for-or received an allowance, ■Many cases have come to the notieo of the Defenco Department where depend nnts. either through ignorance of their privileges, or through changed circumstances, have suffered hardship through the absence of an allowance. Tho classes of dependants named above are now being given the opportunity of applying for an allowance to the officer in charge of war expenses, Wellington, Another important, provision recently made bv the Minister of Defence is set out officially in tho following terms:— "Applicants who liavo already received nn allownnce which lins not "been sufficient to'remove hardship during military service, eithor bv "reason of an inadequate amount or by being paid for a portion only of the period of military sei'vico under' .limitations imposed 1 by previous orders, may apply for their enses to be reconsidered," Applications under this/head should also be made to the officer in charge of war expenses, Wellington (not to tho Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, as has been erroneously'suggested by some correspondents to the newspapers). Thu pay hranch will investigate the case, und decide wliethor the allowance should be increased if one has been given in the, past, whether its. currency should be extended. or (in the cafe of new applications! whether hardship has been suffered which should be relieved by the payment of an allowance. Payments will be made by tho officer in charge war expenses within periods of service from the beginning of the war. The ■ rate available for issuo will be governed by the extent of the pre-enlistment support of the soldier, less any allotment of pay made bv him to the dependant, with a maximum of 3s, per day for each de-' pendant, and less any ; payments already made uvjer previous authorities. Preenlistment support will not be -insisted upon in cases where circumstances have changed since- the soldier's enlistmentbv reason of which, tho soldier became responsible for the full or partial maintenance of a widowed mother or other ueuendants. Each ease will be considered on its merits, 'and in the great majority of instances 'it is not anticipated that there will be any great difficulty in deciding the claim, for retrospective allowance. Where the circumstances necessitate, the pay branch will be able to 6ecure the advice of the members of the. Soldiers' Financial Board, which has had so much experience in tho task of deciding the question of whether the soldier's pay and allowancos have been sufficient or otherwise to enable him to carry hjs civil obligations without financial hardship.

.So much confusion seems to exist in the minds of soldiers and their dependants regarding tho/authority to whioh they should apply to obtain tho benefit of the recently-announced concessions that it is advisable to indicate specifically where tho different classes of applications should bo sent.

Application for pratuities , must bo made on the special form obtainable .at any post office, and sent to tho officor in charge of war expenses, Wellington. Applications for retrospective allowances (whether for wife, children, widowed mother, or other dependants) and difference between Territorial and Expeditionary Force pay must be made by letter to tho officer in charge of war expenses, _ Wellington. Applications for the payment of tlio dilferenco 'between the Imperial and New; Zealand gratuities, pay, and allow, nnces must be made by letter, addressed: "Paymaster-General, Treasury, Wellington." . All persons domiciled in New Zealand (including nuraes) who have served in the Imperial, Naval, Military, and Air Forces, are included in this scheme.

Pension applications must be made on the.form obtainable at any registrar of pensions; and sent to that- Department. Applications for - payment .of. extra loading on life insurance premiums, duo. to war sen-ice, must be made by letter addressed "The Secretary. ', Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, ' Wellington."

Amusements are being made for payment'by the Staff-Paymaster, •N.Z.E.1 1 '., London, of war gratuity to men who nro discharged in the United Kingdom. In the case cf New''.Zealand fioldicr.i now resident in Australia, remittance will bo sent through ' the New Zealand resident agents in either Sydney or Melbourne.