THE WAR GRATUITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2038, 7 October 1919, Page 4

THE WAR GRATUITY.

HINTS TO APPLICANTS

Wellington, This Day

About ten per cent, of the applications made for (he war gratuity have been informal, and have had (o be referred back to the applicants.- Consequently it is necessary to give a few hints regarding the method of filling in the simple form required by the Pay OKice. A Brief description of the methods adopted by the Defence Department in dealing with the applications will enable soldiers (o realise the necessity lor accuracy in their share of the task of allocating the millions available for distribution. Between September 24rd and October Ist twenty thousand applications came to the Pay Cilice in Wellington. The mere task of cheeking ami recording is giving a large si a Cl! ample work, but it is .going on smqolhly, and the payments arc now being made on the first seines of flu-reel claims. The filled-in forms have first to undergo scrutiny to make sore that the applicant has provided t*he information required. Many of the m.en fail to give two_ specimen signal arcs above the top line of the form, while others give the signatures hul write them in the blank space below the proper line, and thus interfere with the portion of the form which has to be used as a deposit slip in connection with the deposit of the money to the applicant's credit in a Post Office Savings Bank. The middle of the form oily Ims to he filled in by the applicant, (hough many have mistakenly endeavoured to assist the Defence* authorities by giving complete details of their service and deductions in the lower pari. This information ims to he taken from the ledgers, and not from the applicants’ notes.

Explanations are ofleu added to the form, covering up space which is needed for office use. If explanations are considered necessary, a note can he attached 1» the application form. Any irregularity means loss of time in payment, for the applications are given a serial number as they are received, and if. one has to he referred hack, it may not return until several thousand forms have been passed ahead ol it, taking piccedonce for paymenl. Hundreds of Idlers have been sent applying for the dillerence between territorial pay and Expedite onary Force pay white in camp, and also for the retrospective allowance concessions which were announced nl (he same time as the gratuity, hul h is rapidly getting ready for Ihe other distributions. Applications for these allowances, etc., should md. bo included on the war gratuity form,,, but can he made by letter, and it the informal ion supplied is sufficiently clear and complete, the payment will he made, in due course. If more information is required, a suitable application form will he sent: in response to Ihe letter. This will probably have to he done in most eases where children’s allowance has to he paid retrospectively, as it is important to ensure that the money goes to the person who has been, or is now, responsible for the maintenance of the children.