WIDOWS' PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 38, 15 February 1919, Page 9

WIDOWS' PENSIONS

10 THE JDITOII.

Sir,—ln your issue of last evening a correspondent signing himself "Worker" writes with reference ]to a matter which appeared in your column written by me relating to the so-called "Widows Pensl°ns*" l *"fes a PParent to the casual observer that your correspondent is either an employee of the Pension Department, or has been prompted by one,because he states that in cases which have come under his notice the widow is receiving a total of £1 per week for herself and 10s 6d for each child. Your correspondent states that my figures for two children, viz., 6s lid per week, are not correct, and states that the correct amount should be lis 6d, the difference, 4s 7d, being by way of a war bonus, and in this respect he is correct, but it has to be taken into consideration that the war bonus is not a fixed pension scale, and will be taken off the pension immediately the War Regulation, which pro'^ vided for such war bonus, becomes inoperative, and it was on this ground that my figures were based.

Now, with reference to your correspondent's figures of £1 per week for the widow and 10s 6d per week for the children, which he writes are payable under the Widows Pension Act (because it has to be remembered that it was this Act and the pensions payable under such that I wrote my criticism of) I have before me the pension certificate of a widow ■ with three children, and it is clearly, stated on such Certificate -that her pension is £2 per month (ordinary pension), plus £1 10s (bonus), and she states to me that she was unable to get any increase whatsoever on this amount, however it is quite interesting to have the fact admitted that a very much greater pension is paid to some widows, and no doubt will cause the Commissioner of Pensions some embarrassment to explain away why some widows have been given preferential treatment over others, but in my opinion what will be found to be the case is that "Worker" is himself deliberately misrepresenting the position to the public, for I have not the slightest doubt but that on investigation that the extra money mentioned in "Worker's" letter will be,found to have been paid under quite a different fund from the Widows Pension Act, at any rate I intend to write to the Commissioner on the subject, and his answer to "Worker's" statement that widows in some cases have received £1 per week and children 10s 6d per week will no doubt be eagerly waited for by the general public.

I have: also a letter from another widow, in which she states that she made application to the Education Department, in Tinakori-road (Education Receiving Home Office), for a pension for her children aB far back as December last, and to hand has.not yet received a reply. I am greatly surprised to find that in this enlightened age any person could be "found who would be mean enough to object to widows land children being paid pensions which would enable them to exist in something like decency and comfort, ,and probably this is the reason for your correspondent adopting a norn de plume. I fee] sure that all fair-thinking people in this Dominion will recognise that the time has arrived when something must be .done for the protection of all widows and children, which will allow them the same opportunities in life as their more fortunate fellows.—.l am, etc.,

A. W. CROSKERY.

14th February.