SOLDIERS’ PAY.

Evening Star, Issue 16335, 30 January 1917, Page 7

SOLDIERS’ PAY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir.—ln your report of the discussion by ibe City Council of the Petone circular ihc Mayor is reported as saying: “It would be deplorable if it meant dcpiivin-' r iho women and children of the allowances Jbat the Government were going to give jliem.” Mould the Mayor bo good enough Jo explain to what allowances he is alluding? 1 read carefully all Press notices in ■fegard to soldiers’ pay and dependents’ allowances, and so far have seen no definite Sroposals on the part of the Government io give further allowances to soldiers or dependents. The only concession noticed by me is that if a balloted man appeals on She solo ground of being unable to pay the interest on a mortgage executed before the Military Service Act became law the Go{■ernment “may” assist him financially. Beyond the 7s separation allowance and iibc 5s 3d for each child (and we know iow some of our M.P.s had to fight to Shave this raised from 6d per day), the soldier’s pay now is exactly the same as it was for the (Main Expeditionary Force. (No war bonus fdr the soldier or his de, •jendents !) This amount barely covers the Sacreased cost of living. As this allowance is paid by right only to wife and ihildren, it follows that mothers, widowed v? not, and other dependents are even ■Verse off. From the remarks made hy the Hon. Mr Allen to the deputation who went to him from the Patriotic Association about December 12, 1916, it is apparent that the separation allowance is not paid to t]ie Soldiers’ mother if she has an income of hj weekly or over. This must exclude old age pensioners from participation. From the same source one gathers that a wife with one child is supposed to keep up a home, paying rent or interest on mortgage and rates and taxes, and pay for insurance premiums, food, firing, clothing, educa tion, dental, and medical attention, etc. put of £2 Os 3d per week. Would the Hon. Mr Allen care to give a. practice demonstration of how to do it? Suppos Ing the woman concerned rented rooms she would require at least two rooms. Oni Sannot get two decent rooms in a re 3peotahle locality for less' than 10s 6e ■Weekly (unfurnished). The system of charitable aid which th aMinister of Defence is so earnestly foster SBg will have a deteriorating effect on th ?eople of New Zealand, and lessen thei elf-respect and self-reliance. It has beei proved over and over again that such System is wrong in principle. The deserv 'rig go to the wall, the undeserving receiv more than their due. Everyone auree dhat the soldier’s services to his countr tannot really receive adequate recognitio financially, but let the soldier be paid a amount that will enable him to leave hi dependents sufficient to pay their wn\ tV6 do not ask for luxury, or even con' Sort. If he has no dependents to whoi Be wishes to allot part of his pay it ca fce arranged for him to leave a certai amount, in the Post Office Savings Bank p deferred pay. There is no reason, excef 4he mismanagement of the Governmcn ■Why this rich, extravagant country coal ffiot put aside at least Is per day as di ({erred pay for each man, especially as i iiflie P.O. Savings Bank the Governmer Would have the use of the money in tl - meantime. This would save onr returne men the humiliating experience so many < them have been forced to undergo of seel ilng monetary assistance. As those recer ijng this money would in most cases spec

it on necessaries, it would be in circula- j tion', and consequently benefiting the country. The present prosperity at Home is i due largely to the freer circulation of money previously tied up. When a minimum living wage for himself and his dependents has been paid a soldier, let those who have greater financial responsibilities than most bring their case unjder consideration by the Government for further assistance, if necessary. —I am, etc., COUNTRYWOMAN. January 29.