THE SAILOR'S LOT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3187, 11 September 1917, Page 7

THE SAILOR'S LOT

AND THAT OF, HIS AYIF.E. , Some, little time ago a case was quoted in 'The Dominion about the hard lot of relatives'! of bailors in the service of the Boyal Navy, who have -been left with straitened means through circmristarie.es over which they have no control, niid who have not been given the opportunity fo • apply, to the Financial- •■ Assistance Board for relief because that board is only allowed to deal with soldiers and thfllr dependants, and take no cognisance of New Zealand sailors and thendependants, no matter what their position may bOi i. Another case has recently come under the notice of the War Belief Association, and serves to emphasise tho distressing state of affairs that may exist in connection wth the dependants of sailors resident-in Wellington. This case concorns tho position of the--wife o,f it- stoker on H.M.S. Philomel, who was recently tranefered to the. North Sea Fleet. As is pretty . well known, tho ratings of the Imperial Navy are only paid about half tho rates of pay received by those who wero originally shipped in New Zcalaitd, and, that being so, as soon as tho man was transferred his pay was reduced tu 2s. 2d. a day, and, not only that, but the separation allowance of- IS, a ' day granted % tho New Zealand Government was stopped during tho time tho Admiralty was being advised that the man was married. The man. in this ease, drew Is. a day for himself and left Is. lid. for his wife, which provided her with Bs. 2d. a week to live upon—in Wellington! On the caso coming before tho association, a grant of 30s. a t\*eek for four weeks was made, out of which tin- womn-n pays llis. a week for board. Tho fact thai, it is possiblo for a married woman to be loft with an allowance of Ss. 2d. to pay her board,, buy clothes, etc., appears to bo the strongest evidence in favour of a reconsideration of the case of. New Zealand naval ratings and their dependants, especially in cases whore men aro transferred to vessels moro directly under tho control (as far as pay is concerned) of Ihe British Admiralty!