WAR GRATUITIES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 20, 18 October 1919, Page 9

WAR GRATUITIES

PROGRESS-OF PAYMENT.

Applications for.the war gratuity eon--11111111 to arrive at the-Defence PayQtneo in;thousands, and payments; are ajso going on. though necessarily at a slower rate. "'Each application approved as JPing in-order is acknowledged,'and it has meant, a large amount of overtime by a big v slalf of tvpistes to deal with this portion of Hie work. Approved application* go to the ledger department, where a caveful review ol' O'.p soUluh's account (nice? p]nr<\ . Here, there is sometimes a delay if Hip account i* inh'icatcv or iu-'poiiiplete.-.or has iiot.hecn.ctearw tip to dale. This has'caused soiiie gratuiiv applicntions to be held up. which ,iccount for men who have irot their npolieations 'n oarlv to the Officer in Charge of War' Expenses not being paid astm.ickly ns. pome ivlioso oliiims beiu* <i later number. . .. , ~ Followini? the ledger work, the gra* tuitv application hns to bo sent to the Audit Department for checking. Thus it will be seen ,-tliat the process is not one which can bo put through all, .it? stages 'iii a few hours. However, lip till October'll, 1512 claims had been paid, rcnreseiiting an exnenditure 'of ,£99,855. Tliis shows that the average gratuity so fat-paid.' out is nearly per man. All nrrantrcment has been made with the New Zealand banks to make the deposit of the gratuity in Wellington to the credit'of,the soldier who desire? a bankcredit of this kind, the amount' beine remitted free of exchange to tile branch of the bank at which his account is kept. Advices are always sent to the soldiers when- lodgments to the bank or Post Office Savings Bank are made.