SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 243, 13 October 1919, Page 11

SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS.

ALLOWANCE APPLICATIONS RE-OTENED. ' (Sl-eclal to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. The great public interest taken in the amount of the war gratuities has 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 oilicers, non commissioned officers and men (except wives and children) who have not previously applied for or received an allowance. Many cases have come to the notice of the Defence Department where dependents, either through ignorance ot their privileges, or through changed circumstances, have suffered hardship through the absence of an allowance. The classes of dependents named above are ■now being given the opportunity of apply for an 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 inadequate amount, or by being paid for a portion only of the period of military service under limitations imposed by "previous orders, may apply for their eases to be reconsidered.

Applications under this head should also be made to the Officer in Charge of War Expenses, Wellington (not to the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, as has been erroneously suggested by some correspondents to the newspapers. Payments will be made by the Officer in Charge, War Expenses, within periods of service from tha beginning of the war. The rate available for issue will be governed by the extent of the pre-enlist-ment support of the soldier, less any allotment of pay made by him to the dependent, with a n.aximum of 3/ per for each dependent, and less any payments already made under previous authorities. Pre-enlistment support will not be insisted upon in eases where circumstances have changed since the soldier's enlistment by reason of which the soldier became responsible for the full or partial maintenance of a widowed mother other dependents.