SOLDIERS' DEPENDANTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 59, 3 December 1917, Page 4

SOLDIERS' DEPENDANTS

WORK OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BOARD. Tho Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board had granted assistance in 8221 oases up to November 22, the extent, of the liability assumed being £109,323 annually. Most of the payments are to Second Division men, and the total is now increasing fairly rapidly. The object of tho special finanoiai assistance regulations being to keep the soldier's dependants and interests in, as far as practicable, tho same financial position they were in before tho soldier wont into camp, tho board desires it to be widely known that it cannot countenance specially extravagant rxpenseß. A number of cases have been brought to notice lately in which soldiers' wives, particularly women without children, in respect of whom special assistance has beon granted,' have doveloped nomadic habits; travelling to various parts of New Zealand l and taking up f:esh board and lodgings at each place—a course of conduct which they could not have afforded whentheir husbands were earning ordinary civilian pay. The board accordingly has found it necessary to advise . some recipients that travelling expenses so frequently incurred considerably discount any claim that rould otherwise bo made on the ground of undue hardship, and in a few cases the grant of financial assistance lias had to he suspended. The board also regrets to record many cases of extravagant purchases of furniture, sewing machines, and pianos within a few weeks of the husband go* ing into camp, and apparently on the assumption that they would be paid for bv tho Government. Tho board ban no alternative hilt to decline such ipplie.ntions, and dealers consequently who persuade soldiers.' dependants to purchase (roods under such expectations will find themselves the worso-off financially It is desired at tho same time to emphasise that the regulations are specially intended to meet all genuine cases, and are being mtemrted in this spirit by tho board. The > however, cannot countenance cases ot extravagance.