PAYMENTS TO SOLDIERS
*O THE EDITOR.
Sir, —You state in your issue that the gratuities are being rapidly paid. I wonder if you know that hardly one gratuity has been paid to the mother or other relative of a deceased soldier. I am interested in a, soldier who in 1917 was killed in France., His'mother needs every penny she can get. The soldier's account has been squared, and so there cannot bo any difficulty. The claim for the gratuity was made the day following the announcement by thd Defence Minister. War Expenses Department state the delay in payment is due to the fact that the Defence Minister has not dealt with any case of payment in the case of a deceased soldier, and that no payment can bo made till he approves of it. I -think the living soldiers would have been glad to wait, till the money due to their deceased comrades had been paid, and I also thing the Defence Minister should not have delayed dealing with a matter such as this.—l am, etc.,
HAROLD MOORE.
[On inquiries being made by a Post reporter at the War Expenses Branch, it was ascertained that 111 claims have already been paid in deceased sold lei's' estates. 150 additional warrants have been typed out ready for despatch, another 200 are under audit, and, from now on, there will be a regular stream of such payments being made. The apparent delay in commencing such payments has been due to the initial inquiries involved. The War Expenses Branch first had to establish whether the person claiming the gratuity is the proper legal representative, and, secondly, whether such claimant is a fit and proper person to make payment to. This is particularly necessary where the deceased soldier had dependents who are minors. In cases where it is proved that the claimant is not a fit and proper person to make payment to, the money is paid to an approved society to hold' for the benefit of the legal claimant. The delay, it is explained, is thus occasioned through no fault of the Minister,]
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19200109.2.88
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 8, 9 January 1920, Page 8
Word Count
349PAYMENTS TO SOLDIERS Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 8, 9 January 1920, Page 8
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