THE CASE OF MRS DEWAR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 20, 28 April 1916, Page 5

THE CASE OF MRS DEWAR.

! A WIDOW'S PENSION. INDICTMENT OF GOVERNMENT. At the annual meeting of the Taranaki Rugby Union last night, Mr R. Masters brought up particulars of the position of Mr s Dewar, mother of the late Xorkey Dewar, who was killed on active service at Gallipoli. Mrs Dewar was now in unfortunate circumstances owing to being without the support of £1 per week which her son had contributed to her support when alive, arid also through another son who assisted to the extent o& 15s per week having become an invalid and now being a charge upon her.jjThe Government allowed her 15s a week, and although representations J had been made to the authorities regarding her position, these had been yithj out avail. The Stratford Patriotic j Society toOk up the matter, and realising that it was a very deserving lease voted her £25. The Palmerstpn Committee also considered it was a deserving case, and was temporarily pacing Mrs Dewar 5s per week. The resultnbw was that she was getting 30s|per week, which was all she' had to *eep ,her and her invalid son. Out of fhis, she had to pay 15s per week for snt. All of the members would realise shat that amount would do in a pos|tion such as she was in. Representations had been made to the Hon. James Allen, but he was: sorryt-to-say that the Minister did not deal with the case in a very sympathetic manner. He practically told the deputation to go to the Patriotic Committee and get funds for the purpose. The result was that Mrs Dewar was not getting the consideration which she deserved. All present probably knew instances of officers' wives drawing bigger pensions than she was getting. In a nutshell, the position was that Mrs Dewar was'not the widow of a dead soldier, but the mother "of one! He knew of a case wherein the wife of an officer was getting the full pension of £lO4 per year, but in' this'case the mother was only getting a miserable "dole"—he could call it nothing else. The reason for bringing up the matter was that an opportunity might be given to footballers and their supporters to do something for Mrs Dewar, the mother of one who was so well* known and'respected throughout Taranaki. He wished to see Mrs Dewar placed in circumstances more comfortable than she was at present. He had interviewed Mrs Dewar, and some

others with him were now working ia her interests. He quoted a cas» where a teacher had married an offf cer who went to the front, and nev(£ left her position, drawing £l3O per year, and when the officer was killed she; drew JSJO4 per year as a pension One was a young, woman of about thirty, whereas the otiheV'was 65 year*., old supporting her' invalid "son, and all she' got was 30s per week. It-ap-peared to him that Mrs Dewar' was paying the ; penalty*'* m ° the r p f , , a i e of being the widow* .of one,. He: j»hoped they would <|o something''Vorfjhy of footballers. "',"■• I ? . ■*• L * Mr McLeod said he Mtlhey, ihould do something. Everyone would admit that the late Norkey Dewar as a footballer was a "white" man. He was one of the straightest fellows who ever played the game in Taranaki. AH knew that he supported his mother, < indeed, it was a sacred duty with him. At least, Mrs Dewar should be put in the position of comfort that she was in before her son went to the war. and lost hig life in the service of his country. It was possible some of his friends could use their influence to have the"pensioii" increased. There should be no making fish of one and flesh of another. Other cases lnpre deserving should be treated not less liberally. If the Union could do anything, it should do so. Individually, they should try and raise money in the province. Dewar's name would be remembered for a very long time in Taranaki football; he left a very clean record behind him, of. which anyone could be proud. In conclusion, Mr McLeod said he was sure everyone would be willing to do what he could in this very deserving case. Mr Buchanan also spoke strongly in support of the case, and after general discussion, Mr Masters moved: "That the Taranaki Rugby Union strongly protests against the inhuman treatment of the Pensions Board in failing to make adequate allowance to Mrs Dewar, aged 65, whose son lost his life, in the defence of his country, and that the Union asks that she be placed at least in the position of comfort son,"-~Seconded by Mr and carried.