SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS

Evening Star, Issue 16998, 21 March 1919, Page 4

SOLDIERS' DEPENDENTS

ALLOWANCES TO WIVES AND CHILDREN. [Pee United Pkess Association.] WELLINGTON, March 21. Mr "D. Seymour, general secretary of tho New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, publishes a statement in referenco to tho application "f the amended scab of allowance? to s- « ?rs' wives and children. There is, ho su.-s, a general impression that, tho demands of the association have been met by the Government, but nothing of tho kind has been done, and the association intend to press for retrospective payments in full of allowances to the children of those who volunteered in the early part of the war. The early volunteers, ha says, went cheerfully, and did not begrudge unavoidable hardahips • but where it was possible to do something towards equitable treatment tho Governmflnt had contested every inch, and hud yielded only to pressure from fear. They had contended, in effect, that the country oould not afford to treat a volunteer as generously as a conscript. Next, while allocating some £2,000.000 for gratuities, only some £440,000 of this could be spared, " in lieu of retrospection," to satisfy the claims of justice. This has been increased to £500,000, not to fulfil amoral obligation, but presumably _ to provide a better line of defence against full satisfaction, the frinciple involved. The [ last position has een reached, and the aisoriaiion look to the public and the Press to support them in their demands on behilf of the children of volunteers.