NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 23 August 1901, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

On the 25th June last the War Office issued a Royal warrant and instructions whieh. made important changes in the scale of pensions and allowances to soldiers, widows, and children. The revised rules provide that the rate of pension for the widow of a warrant officer shall be £3O per year, and the rate of compassionate allowance for of such warrant officer shall be £6 os per year. In the section relating to noncommissioned officers and men it is laid down that the pensions shall only be given as the reward of service and subject to the Conditions if the revised regular;o is being complied with, and that the pension shah not be claimed as a right. Widows of non-commissioned officers and women whose husbands may have been killed in action, or died of wounds or disease within twelve months of contraction of such are eligible for the pension. The regulations provide for the payment of pensions to children born in wedlock—to boys not over the age of 14 and to girls not over the age of 16. But if owing to physical infirmities the boy or girl is unable to maintain himself or herself the pensions mav bo paid up to an age not exceeding 21 years. A Widow through rn'S'umduet may have her pension forfeited or in may bo suspended. The rates I ot tno pensions are as follows : Widows. Each child. Class 1-10/- per week 2/- per week Class 2-9 1- „ 2/Class 3-7/6 „ 2/Class 4-6/- „ 1/6 Class 5 —5/- „ 1/6 » The first issue of pensions commenced from July Ist last, and the pensions will, as a rule be issued fortnightly in advance by means of Army money-ord rs.