SEPARATION ALLOWANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 May 1918, Page 2

SEPARATION ALLOWANCES.

. BASED ON EARNINGS OF THE ARTISAN, LIBERALISING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BOARD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) . Wellington, April 20. The decision of the Government with regard' to separation allowances is that the children's allowance shall be increased to Is <kl a day, an addition of lid a day. This makes the .separation allowance slightly larger than tlie pension rate, which is 10s a week for a child. The allowance of 3s a day for a wife is to remain unaltered. The matter was discussed at length by Cabinet, and the decision seems to have been based upon an opinion that the standard in tbe matter of payments to soldiers must bo the earnings of the artisan and not of the professional man. The Minister for Defence holds to the view he iiad already expressed, that the present payments place the family of the average worker in a rather better position financially than if the husband and father had not entered ths Army. "The Class B man will receive £3 Gs fid a week plus his own food, clothing, board, and medical expenses," says the Minister. "If he has previously, been earning £4 a week or less, he cannot be said to suffer financial loss by becoming a soldier, even if the Financial Assistance Board is not taken into consideration- It Bhould be remembered that the payments are made for fifty-two weeks in the year. There are no deductions for broken time, holidays, and sickness, as would probably be the case in civilian employment." The Class O man will receive £3 17' a a week.' Every reservist is entitled to apply for financial assistance if the ordinary payments—that is, military pay find allowances —do not enable him to maintain his home and meet liabilities on his pro-enlistment scale."

Your corresepondent gathered, in conversation with Ministers, .liat the liberal operation of the financial assistance scheme is regarded by them as essential if justice is to lie done to the Second Division soldiers. It appears thaj; Cabinet received assurances on this point. Ministers insist that (he system is, going to be administered fairly, and that the board will not adopt a cheeseparing policy. How far their confidence is justified remains still to bo seen, in the meantime tile Wellington officer; of the Second Division League are seek ing more definite information. Sir James Allen states that the other concessions outlined in the statement issued on Monday widening the definition of dependents, liberalising the payment of separation allowance to widowed mothers' and raising the limit of capital whidli debars a reservist from receiving allowances, will involve a substantial addition to the annual charges against the War Account- The actual amount of additional expenditure involved has still to be discovered. The Minister is not disposed to regard seriously the suggestion that Second Division men should refuse to enter camp until the demands of the league are satisfied. "I am quite sure that the Second Division men are going to play the game," he said. "They have secured very large concessions and have been placed in a position that compares very favorably with that of married men from other parts of the Empire. They will be ready to make sacrifices, as the First Division men have done, when their tarn comes."