Married Servicemen

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 260, 31 July 1944, Page 4

Married Servicemen

Sir, —Some few months ago the U.S.A, made much of the inadequacy of the mufti allowance, but it would appear that their efforts have been in vain. Nevertheless the efforts of this association to impress upon the Government the necessity of increasing the allowance will be appreciated by all fair-minded folk. Although I do not wish to adopt any partisan attitude nor make distinctions between the various classes of servicemen, I would like to present a case for the married man witli a family. Like those of a different marital status, he was required to leave his civilian employment and take up the cudgels of war; but at what price? No longer could he earn that extra few shillings in overtime, etc., which kept his family going. They had to make do with a very much curtailed income with consequent hardship to his family. What then is the position upon hig return to civilian life? He is given the munificent sum of £25 to outfit himself with clothes, make up deficiencies in the clothing of his family, and in addition make good all depreciation in all household linen, crockery, furniture and so on which could not be maintained on a reduced income against, a steadily rising cost of living. This then is the position of the serviceman who has dared to have a family. Parliament is now in session and according to reports the Budget is to be presented next Thursday. It is to be hoped that the Government has a sufficient appreciation of the position to meet tlie serviceman in this direction and so alleviate to some extent,, at least, his problem of rehabilitating himself. To find himself burdened with huge expenditure is not going to have a satisfactory psychological effect upon the one time serviceman.—l nm, etc., HOPEFUL. Palmerston North, July 27.