SOLDIERS' MONEY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 81, 2 October 1940, Page 11

SOLDIERS' MONEY

REMITTANCE OVERSEAS

REQUEST TO GOVERNMENT

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

AUCKLAND, This Day.

A resolution requesting the Government to remove the restrictions on the amount of remittances to members of the fighting forces serving overseas and the channels through which they are sent, and thus treat alike all New Zealanders who are abroad, was carried at a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Patriotic Committee last night.

•In moving ;the. resolution, the chairman of the executive, and finance subr committee, Mr. J. A.-.C.. Allum, stated that at present all remittances.. to members of the fighting forces serving overseas must be made through the defence base pay office. These remittances were limited to the equivalent of £20 New Zealand currency a year for each member of the forces.

There appeared to be no justification for discrimination between those New Zealanders who were a' oad on business and those wh:> were serving in the fighting forces. Mr. Allum added that members of the forces in Egypt could obtain money from England without restriction.

"It is time that men who are serving their country should have the same privileges as civilians," continued Mr. Allum. "The men should not lose simply because they are members of the forces. If they have the money available they should have it." In reply to a suggestion that' the £20 should go through the same channels as at present and that any further applications for remittances should be made through the Reserve Bank as in the case of civilians, Mr. Allura said, that any such applications were being refused. Other members suggested that the amount should be increased to about £50 a year. Colonel t. H. Dawson pointed out that civilians requiring money for overseas had to explain the reasons to the Reserve Bank., As a member of the forces Would only require the money for: leave purposes, the Bank might not be interested. He stressed the essential nature of the base pay office. ' ■ Mr. Allum concluded that he could see no reason why a member of the forces should not have the facilities available to civilians as well as the facility of the base pay office. The resolution was carried;