SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS

Evening Star, Issue 15817, 31 May 1915, Page 4

SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS

ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS. PATRIOTIC ASSOCIATION'S FINE WORK. The matter of assisting the dependents of Otago soldiers now engaged on Imperial service forms an. important part of the varied work of the Otago Patriotic Association, and receives thorough and thoughtful attention. The granting of aid 1 to dependents is likely to demand even more attention in the near" future, and probably the- association will decide to allocate a large sum of money for the sole purpose of helping the wives and families of soldiers to overcome the frequently embarrassing difficulties caused by the absence of the principal breadwinner of a household. In the early stages of the war the association allocated £I,OOO from the local patriotic fund for providing aid to dependents, and practically the whole of that sum has been expended wisely. But circumstances indicate the early need of a greater allocation, and there is talk offsetting apart the sum of £14,000. which has been contributed by the. public without any special request as to the manner of expenditure for the sole benefit of fallen arid disabled soldiers' dependents. It is probable that such a sum and a great deal more will be required before the need of assistance has passed. It should be clearly understood that the Patriotic Association do not administer the soldiers' dependents relief fund as though they were performing a gracious act of charity. Their service is based on purely patriotic grounds. It is recognised that most men who have volunteered for Imperial service, cannot serve the Empire with all their strength and also fulfil their domestic obligations at the normal standard. And, as the greater service is Imperial, those who remain behind accept the aiding of a reasonable fulfilment of the lesser service as a patriotic duty devolving upon them. Hitherto the provision of relief for soldiers' dependents has been combined in an administrative sense with providing work for the unemployed, to whom the scope for securing regular emplovmetit has been narrowed by the effects of war. but circumstances suggest and probably warrant complete concentration upon aiding necessitous relatives of men who have fallen have been incapacitated at the from. Several members of the "association, as well as many citizens, are inclined to classify the matter of providing relief works for the um-moloved as a question for State consideration.' and here and there (it may be mentioned) one notices a tendency among the discerning public to charge the Government with a pronounced eagerness to lean too heavily upon the generosity |of the people. The plainest-speaking people rcter bluntly to political shirking of certain administrative obligations. This phase of the subject may. "however, be letT for politicians to defend or support. It is certainly true that much more attention will have to be given in the future to looking after the dependents of the fighters of the country's battle. Already it has been discovered that the military allowances and pensions are hopelessly inadequate in many rases to serve eveu'to a reasonable degree the needs of sorrowing dependents of men who have given their all for the Empire. It appears, too. that many .soldiers do not allocate allowances to their dependents until after leaving New Zealand for the front, and the authrTrities have been sharply criticised for not compelling all the men'to make some provision for their dependents from the time they enter upon training at Trentham. Soldiers' forget fulness has caused difficulty at home occasionally, and not infrequently the men have 'unwiselv spent their allowances. This question does not affect the attitude of the local association towards necessitous cases of dependents. Every applicant whose necessities have been established after reasonable inquiry and examination secures immediate assistance in some form. In several cases house rent—always a serious item to waereearners—is paid: in other cases orders arc given for groceries: while numerous dependents receive monetary allowances. The principle of the system is based on common sense, every care being taken to avoid an unwise use of aid. '1 he association's representatives state definitely that there need not be a single case of hardship in Otago. Everv legitimate claim will receive prompt consideration and immediate response according to the measure of the need revealed iiAhe application. There are 150 cases on the association's books at present, and it Is expected that a marked increase in the number will soon be experienced. Good work has already been done by the association, and in ' manv instance's the activity of the executive 'and officers controlling the distribution of the patriotic timd lias been of a very tender nature. In several homes of absent soldiers for death has increased the anxiety and difficulty of uncomplaining women', and necessitated an exercise of practical sympathy. In all such cases the association have promptiv riven aid and sympathy, ami hriahtened verv sad circumstances. The R-Jief Committee comprise several women who are familiar with social work, and who are able to render tender services winch most men would perform clumsily at the best. The work of the association is i„ every way verv thnrom-h. ami based on wise principles. '