FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 42, 18 February 1918, Page 8

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

REGULATIONS EXPLAINED

As there still seems to be considerable

misapprehension as to the Government scheme of financial assistance to members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, the following official statement explaining the provisions was issued by the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board to-day :— OBLIGATIONS THAT MAY BE MET. "In addition to the direct payments receivable from the Defence Department —viz., pay, separation allowance, and children's , allowance—provision is made under the Regulations, 16th January, 1917, and amendments thereto, whereby financial assistance may be granted to members ;of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in respect to the following recurring obligations :— (a) Rent. (b) Interest payable in respect of loans or mortgages or in respect of agreements for the purchase of a dwelling-house or business premises. (c) Interest and instalments payable in respect of agreements for the purchase of furniture or othei chattels. (d) Rates and taxes. (c) Insurance premiums. (f) Other necessary or reasonable expenses, not being ordinaiy maintenance expenses or expenses incurred in the purchase of property. "Each case will be considered on its merits, and the nature and the amount of the grant, if any, will be determined so as to ensure that the soldier can serve in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force without any undue hardship to himself or to persons dependent on him. WHEN TO APPLY. "If a reservist, after being passed fey the Medical Board as A, B ,or Cl, has reason to believe that his military pay and allowances will be insufficient to enable him to meet his financial obligations, and that his military service' will be a cause of undue hardship to himself or to persons dependent on him, and that such hardship can be avoided by a grant of financial assistance under one or more of the above headings, he should immediately forward an application for financial assistance direct to the secretary, Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, Panama-street,. Wellington. "It is not necessary to appeal for exemption in order to get financial assistance. "The application for financial assistance should be made direct to the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, and an appeal is therefore not necessary, unless ej:emption from military service on other grounds than that of financial assistance is desired. "The Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board meets daily, and applications, if .in order, are dealt with promptly. Any \?lay in submitting a case to, the board is 'ilirectly attributable to neglect on the part of the applicants in filling in.the application forfis. Applicants should exercise every care when filling in the application form, and should supply correct information regarding their affairs. "If special explanation is necessary, thn application form should be accompanied by a letter stating clearly the exact positionr .'" '■" ' ' "The board's grante are in the nature of a straight-out gift to the soldier, who will.not.be called upon to refund any portion of the grant. DATE OF COMMENCEMENT. "Reservists hot yet in camp should note that the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board's grants commence as from the date at which the recruit first becomes entitled to receive continuous pay as a member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and obligations falling due prior to the date of entering camp cannot be recognised by the board. "The Regulations do not provide for cash payments' to the soldier or his dependents, and the board's grants are made direct to the landlord, mortgagee, insurance company, etc., as the case may be. "Financial assistance may be granted in this connection, but the income from the business during the soldier's absence must be taken into consideration as a set-off against additional labour, etc., incurred, e.g., tlie returns from a grocery business Eliduld, under ordinary circumstances, more than pay the wages of an extra hand, or,;manager appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the absence of the soldier, and no grant will be mads lor wages in such' .cases :■- similarly with farms, etc. ,If the soldier is unable to make satisfactory private arrangements for the management of his business, he should avail Himself of the supervision and advice offered by the National Efficiency Board, and in the event of financial assistance being, required in addition for the proper management of the business a recommendation will be made accordingly t« the Soldiers' Financial. Assistance Board by the District Commissioner of the National Efficiency Board.