ALLOWANCE CUT
WIFE OF SOLDIER ACTION BY GOVERNMENT PAY A PRIVILEGE NOT A RIGHT Consternation is being caused among several members of the public regarding the operation of allotments of pay from members of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force and the payment of soldiers’ dependants’ allowances. There have been cases in which the amounts being received under these headings by soldiers’ wives have been reduced by the Government, allegedly causing hardship. According to the official Government publication relating to army pay and allowances, a dependants’ allowance is a grant made by the Government to the dependants of a married or unmarried soldier. The issue of dependants’ allowance is ordinarily dependent upon the soldier making an allotment of his pay. What does not appear to be fully understood by members of the public, however, is the fact that these allowances are not issued as a right, but at the discretion of the Minister of Defence. “Should Be a Right” Therein lies the Government’s right to amend allowances and allotments to dependants of soldiers on active service. According to cases which have arisen in the Waikato this right is already being exercised by the Government through the Social Security Department. Dependants consider this apparent “privilege” should definitely be a right and they feel concerned that it is not. Soldiers proceeding overseas are no doubt under the misapprehension that their dependants will be provided for on the terms of allowances which they have read from the official pamphlet. What many of them do not realise is that the ability of their wives, children, widowed mother, or other dependant relatives to receive the assistance, depends entirely on the Government. One case arose in the Waikato this week of a wife having her allowance amended by the Government. Her husband is on active service and she has herself and two infant children to maintain. According to the offi - cial publication, the wife is entitled, if the Minister pleases, to a dependants’ allowance of 3s a day, with an additional Is 6d for each of the children. The total allowance provided for, therefore, in this case would be 6s a day. Being below the rank ot sergeant this particular soldier would have to allot 4s 6d a day and he chose to give that entire amount to his wife. He has proceeded overseas believing that his wife and children would have 10s 6d a day or £3 13s 6d a week on which to live. Husband’s Allotment Cut Word has been received by the wife, however, that the allowance and allotment have been reviewed by the Social Security Department and her allowance has been reduced to 4s a There is not a word of explanation. If there is a reason for the change the wife considers she has a right to be informed. Of more concern to her, however, is the information from the department that her husband’s allotment has been reduced to 2s a day. Again there is no explanation nor even an explanation of what has become of the other 2s 6d a day which the soldier-husband allotted to his wife Now she has but £2 2s upon which to live. When the case was referred to the Social Security Department in Hamilton to-day, it was stated that the office had no knowledge of the matter. It was understood that such matters were handled from Wellington through the army authorities, although the Social Security Department often made inquiries upon which the army took action. TRAVEL CONCESSION RAIL AND BUS SERVICES (By Telegraph.—special to Times) ROTORUA, Wednesday Further concessions have been approved in regard to road and rail travel to soldiers on week-end leave, according to advice received by Mr A. F. Moncur, M.P., in response to representations he made. Previously soldiers in uniform on week-end leave were given a reduction of onethird in the ordinary return rail fare, but were given no reduction in service car fares or single rail fares. I It has now been decided that solj diers will be granted a 20 per cent I reduction on single rail fares, and [ 10 per cent on either single or return trips with the railway road services.
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Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21222, 19 September 1940, Page 6
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695ALLOWANCE CUT Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21222, 19 September 1940, Page 6
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