SOLDIERS’ DEPENDENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2041, 14 October 1919, Page 4

SOLDIERS’ DEPENDENTS.

ALLOWANCE APPLICATION’S RE-OPENED. Wellington, This Day. The great public interest taken in the amount of the war grarlnities lias somewhat obscured important proposals which were made at the same time by the Minister of Defence in regard to allowances to widowed mothers and other dependents of warrant officers, non-, commissioned officers and men (except wives and children) who have not previously applied for or received an allowance. Many cases have conic-to the notice of the Defence Department where. • dependants/either through ignorance of their privileges, or through changed circumstances, have suffered hurrtship through the absence of an allowance. The classes of dependents named above arc now being given the opportunity of applying for ah allowance to the Officer in Charge of War Expenses, Wellington. Another important provision recently made by the Minister of Defence is set out officially in the following terms: —

Applicants who have already received an allowance which has not been sufficient to remove hardship during military service, either by reason of an inadequatc amount or by being paid for a portion only of the period of military senyce under limitations imposed by previous orders, may apply for their cases to ho re-' considered. Applications under this head should also he made to the Officer in Charge of 'War Expenses,, Wellington (not, lo the Soldiers’ Financial Assistance Board, as has hem erroneously suggested by souk,' correspondents to the newspapers). The Pity Branch, will investigate the case, anil decide whether the allowance sliouhl be increased if one has been given in the past, whether its currency should be extended, y or (in the case of new applications) whether hardship lias been sulfered which should be relieved by the payment of an allowance. Payments will be made by the Officer in Charge War Expenses within periods'of service from the ' beginning of the war. The rate available for issue will bo governed by (he extent of the pre-en-listment support of the soldier less any allotment of pay made by him to or the dependent, with a maximum of 3s per day for each dependent, and less any payments already made mulct' previous authorities. Pre-enlistment support will not be insisted iipmi iti eases where circumstances have changed ■since the soldier's enlist ment by reason of which the soldier been me responsible for the full or partial maintenance of a avklow-

ed mol her or other dependents, Eeach case will be considered on its merits, and in the great majority of instances it- is not anticipated dial then 1 will he any great difficulty in deciding the claim for rclrospcctivo allowance. Where the circumstances necessitate, the Pay Branch will he able to secure the advice of the members of the Soldiers’ financial Board, which has had so much experience in die task' of deciding the question of whether the soldier's pay and allowances have Been sul • (ieient or otherwise lo enable him to carry his civil obligations without financial hardship. So much confusion seems to exist in the minds of soldiers and their dependents regarding the authority to which they should apply to obtain the hcuclff of the recently announced concessions that il is advisable to indicate specifically where the different classes of applications should bo sent. Applications for gratuities must lie made on the special form obtainable at any Post OfliciS, and sent' to the Officer in Charge of Aar Expenses, Wellington.

Applications for retrospective allowances (whether for'wife, children, widowed mol her, or other dependents) and difference between Territorial and Expeditionary Force pay must be made by letter to the Officer in Charge of Bar Expenses. ’Wellington. Applications for the payment of the difference bclAvceu the Imperial and the New Zealand gratuities, pay and allowances must be made by letter addressed “Paymaster-Genera!, Treasury, Wellington.” All persons domiciled in New Zealand (including nurses) who have servcNl in the Imperial, Naval, Military and Air Forces, arc included in this scheme.

■ Pension applications musi be made on the form obtainable a! any Registrar of Pensions, and -sent to that Department.

Applications for payment of ’extra loading on life insurance 'premiums, due to war service, must be made by letter addressed “The Secretary, Soldiers’ Financial Assistance Board, Wellington.” Arrangements are being made for payment by the St aIT Paymaster X.Z.E.E., London, of war gratuity to men who are-discharged in the United Kingdom. In the case of Xew Zealand soldiers now resident in Australia, remittances will Ini sent through the Xew Zealand resident ' agents in either Svdnev or Melbourne.