WAR GRATUITY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 43, 14 November 1919, Page 7

WAR GRATUITY

.£850,630 PAID TO DATE. It is stated officially that good progress is being made in tho payment of the war gratuities to membora of tho Expeditionary Force, the position nt the end of last weok being that 13,271 applications had been completely dealt with, involving- an expenditure of j>856.630. Nearly half of tho applications receivod to date have- gone to the ledger department of tho Pay Offico for making the necessary entries in the soldier's accout. During ono day last week 1138 claims wore ; p«t through, representing a distribution of .£71,000. The average number disposed of daily is about 7GO. The whole matter is regarded as urgent, and for that .reason overtime is being steadily worked in this Goction of the office. Some soldiers who Imvo received acknowledgment of their claims are puzzled because they hear, of others whoso acknowledgments bear n later nutnl>er obtaining an earlier deposit to their credit. Though the claims are approved in order of receipt, the subsequent process in the ledger department cannot always keep up the eamo pace, as tho different clerks have varying numbers of accounts to adjust. If there is any necessity for correspondence after receipt of the acknowledgment of a claim, the soldier is advised to mention the serial number, as this will enable tho claim to bo traced without delay.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER, The New Zealand Returned Sofdiers , Association recently . approached Sir James Allen (Minister of Defence) with reference to the amount of time it was taking to pay out the gratuity, and drawing attention to a newspaper statement w'hich had mentioned that the present rato of payment was about 100 per day. At this rate it is estimated that payments will not be completed until about April next. The urgency of the master was stressed, instancing that many.returned soldiers are counting upon their gratuity for the purpose of entering into business, and it was asked whether the rate of payment could not bo greatly accelerated in order to meet such difficulties. Tho Hon. Minister of Defenco lias sent to the association the following reply, which will bo of interest to the nianj returned soldiers who are still upon tho waiting list:—"ln reply to your letter of Novflmlier 7, in which you asJc triiottieipayment of the overseas war service gravities could not be greaKy accelerated, it is pointed out that in order to make pavment in this respect nt thq very earliest the Department is already workin" nt exceedingly Ir'frh pressure. Applications are dealt with strictly in the order of receipt., but it is impossible to pive .iny intimation hh to when the applicants niny expect their cases to be disposed of. 801110 accounts are more complicated thnn others, and in these cases payment of tho gratuity takes longer to arrange. For your information I may atoto that taking tho figures for tho gratuities paid during tho Inst week, tho payments nveraged 7GO por day, and I may add that the system for making tliwo payments is now in such order Hint number of daily payments is aCt the time increasing." .