WAR GRATUITIES.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1919, Page 6

WAR GRATUITIES.

I DELAY IN PAYMENT. (From our own Correspondent.)' Wellington, Nov.. 14. Complaints are coming from many parts of the country regarding delay in the payment of the soldiers', gratuity. There is no doubt at all that the payments are proceeding less rapidly than was expected and that some men have been kept waiting very much longer than they had been led to anticipate. But a visit to the offices where the work is proceeding would convince most people that the delays are excusable. Oyer 78,000 applications gratuity have been received in addition to many hundreds of inquiries other than direct applications. The payments already made amount to over £1,000,000 and the total is mounting rapidly. The Minister for Defence stated during the session that he expected all the payments would be completed before Christmas, but the period will require to be extended now until FebruaryEach application has to be examined, checked, compared with departmental records and pay-books, audited and recorded. Base Records, the, Pay Branch, the Audit Department, and the' Treasury are all concerned.. Points that demand special inquiry are constantly engaging the attention of the officers. Nearly 200 male clerks are engaged dealing with the applications at present. It is not easy to prevent mistakes occuring when so large a force is employed, and errors in a matter of this kind are difficult to overtake. Experience has shown already that it is worth while taking great pains to avoid them,