WAR PENSIONS AND ALLOWANCES

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3198, 24 September 1917, Page 6

WAR PENSIONS AND ALLOWANCES

BILL PREPARED . MAY BE CIRCULATED THIS WEEK Cabinet has been considering the 'Pensions Bill in recent days. Tho proposals of the Minister of Defence went firsf before Cabinet, and then the Bill, and again the Bill will come up for consideration at the meeting of Cabinet to-day..;. It is possible, even probable, that the Bill will appear in tho House this week. with the question of what pensions Bhould be provided is that of rates of allowances. " It may be stated almost definitely that there will be no increases in the rates of pay, but more generous allowances are to be given to dependants of married soldiers, and there must bo some definite proportional relation between pension <ind allowance rates. The Government may be, and probably will be, prepared to mnlco the allowances a little moro liberal than (ho pensions, in view of the fact that allowances are temporary payments for the period of war, and pensions run on for many years.' It is suggested that separation allowance for the wife of a soldier will be a pound a .week, or better. The separation allowance allowed in Canada is five dollars, and now that the rate is being revised in this country it is improbable that less' than this rate will l)e offered. ' •'

It is understood tjiat the Government has decided to convene a round-table conference of members of Parliament to discuss the pensions and separation_ allowances to be granted to the dependants of members of the Second Division. These and other cognate mattere will bo debated in an informal manner in order that the .Government may know the mind of the House before coming to a final decision. The conference will no doubt reach an agreement with regard to rates of pension and allowances. The Minister of Defence has already 6tated that the pensions will be fixed by legislation, but he personally prefers that the separation allowances should be dealt with by regulation", .whereas the Sccond Division League are .desirous that both pensions and allowances should bo dealt

with by. legislation. It is understood that the Press' and Strangers will be excluded from conference, and that the Speaker will act'as chairman. J.'ho conference will bo held during the present week. The meeting has been asked lor by members of Parliament, and if it.is held it will be at" their request.