TO AVOID DISTRESS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 126, 29 May 1915, Page 4

TO AVOID DISTRESS

SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS. . PROMPT PAYMENT OF PENSIONS. The Defence Minister (the Hon. James Allen) has formulated a scheme by which the dependents of soldiers who lose their lives in the war shall not have to experience a period of wnnt that might ordinarily elapse before they received the pensions due to tlinm. The proposals were approved by Cabinet yesterday evening. The law is that pay ceases at death, and as death has to bo proved and tho necessities of the dependents have to be investigated, the pension may not be available for some months. The Governon ent has tiherefcre agreed that all allotments of their pay made by soldiers to dependents^ but not to Savings Banks or such like institutions, shall be continued for 26 weeks. The rule is qualified slightly in respect of officers in tha higher ranks, whose allotments might ba considerably! in excess of pensions receivable. Following are the proposals as for. miilafced by the Hon. Mr, Allen :~ "Payment of allotments shall bo <*on» tinued for 26 weeks after such notification in cases where the allotment is payable to or on behalf of the de,cea6ed's (1) widow; fa) (a> sons uuder 18 years of age, (b) unmarried daughters under 21 years of age; (3) widowed mother; (4) sister or sisters having no parent or surviving brother. "As regards officers, the maximum I daily amount of the allotment payable shall not exceed in the case of a colonel, Jieutenant-colonel, or major, SO per cent, of such officer's daily pay ; in the caso of a captain, 60 per cent, of such officer's daily pay , in the case of a lieutenant or second-lieutenant, 75 per cent, of such officer's daily pay, except that, the first monthly payment, after notification of tho officer b death, etc., shall bo at the full rate of the allotment. "Tf tho pension or allowance granted is at a higher rate than the allotment , paid to the dependent, then an adjustment will be made ; but if at a lower rate, no portion of the allotment al» ready issued need be recovered."