PAY FOR DEPENDANTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 108, 2 November 1940, Page 8

PAY FOR DEPENDANTS

(To the Editor.) Sir,—l am writing in support of "Soldier's Wife." I wonder how many women know that they will get £2 12s 6d a week when their husbands become soldiers and if they ask for assistance one question on the form to be filled in is "What do you do with your allotment?" Of course there is no trouble to answer this question, but not in the manner we would like to. We are giving our sons and husbands and those in power should see that we who are left to wait should not want also.—l am, etc., OLD SOLDIER'S WIFE, 1914 AND 1940. (To the Editor.) Sir i have noticed letters in your naper recently with regard to equal sacrifice. "Equality" wants to knowwhy soldiers' wives and dependants have not received a bonus to meet the increased cost of living. I, too, want to know why. Before my husband ioined up I was receiving £7 10s per week now I receive £7 7s per fortnight' to keep a home, myself, and two children. It is very hard to meet such a drop and to adjust oneself to a different standard of living. I have worked it out as best I can, and after paying rent, electric light, gas, insurance, groceries, meat, bread, milk, etc., I haven't one penny left for school books, shoes to be repaired, or clothes, etc. Ido not mind the sacrifice if it is equal, but it is not. The only words of encouragement I have had from people are "What a fool your husband is to give up a good job." If the Government cannot afford to pay soldiers' wives and dependants enough to live on, why did it not bring in conscription when the war started. Just think of the thousands of pounds it would have saved in allotments. Now that we have conscription here at last, has the Government done anything with regard to sending single men away in preference to returned soldiers? I do think returned men could be given staff jobs, etc., because they are all men over 40 years of age.

Another thing, the last train to Trentham on Sunday night leaves Wellington at 9.5, surely the railway authorities could put it back until 10.5—1 am, etc..

B. FAIR.