Untitled

Evening Post, Volume XCV, Issue 139, 12 June 1918, Page 7

Qu?sfcions relating to officers' pay and allowances are put by "Affected" in a letter to The Post. "A lieutenant with, say, three children,'" states the correspondent, "gets a separation allowance of 3s per day for wife and 4s 6d for the three children, or a total of 7s 6d per day. In the event of his being promoted to temporary captain, which carries captain's pay, separation allowances, cease to be payable by the Government. Does the wife have to wait until her husband can send her the money from France out of his increased pay, and then, perhaps, have to have a second readjustment when her husband relinquishes his temporary rank for that of lieutenant again, through being wounded or sick? A good many of these temporary appointments are mad©, and it seems to me a great deal of hardship will be caused to the wives and children if their allowances are stopped suddenly, as it takes some considerable time for money to reach New Zealand from France, apart from tho risk of the enemy submarines. It also seems very unfair that when the lieutenant with wife and children gets promoted to captain he has to lose money by his promotion, as captains are not entitled to' separation allowances. The following will show how this comes about:—Lieutenant: pay 12s per day; separation allowance for wife, 3s per day; separation allowance, say, for three children, 4s 6d per day; total, 19s 6d per day. On promotion to captain, pay 17s 6d per day, with no separation allowance, thereby losing 2s per day." The correspondent is in error in the calculation, as separation allowances are not paid for officers' children. Thus, the captain receives 17s 6d per day, and tho married lieutenant receives 15s (12s pay and 3s wife's separation allowance). As to adjustments of pay and allowances: notifications of promotions, in the field come to New Zealand by mail, and by tho same mail an amended allotment authority may be sent, so that the wife will receive at least the same amount. When promotions arp made from lieutenant to captain, the practice is for the officer to allot an extra 3s to compensate for the loss of separation allowance, and if this is done promptly there should bo no break. A similar course may be followed if the officer reverts to hie former rank.