SERVICE BONUS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21632, 8 February 1945, Page 6

SERVICE BONUS

BRITAIN’S POLICY £700,000,000 OUTLAY GENEROUS~PROVISION (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) RUGBY. Feb. 6. The. British Government is settingaside £700,000,000 for cash payments in gratuities and post-war credits to servicemen and women. Announcing this in the House of Commons, Sir John Anderson, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said that the payments would be free of income tax. He added that members of the forces, when released in their turn, would . have 56 days' paid leave in addition to 36 days’ foreign-service leave for those who have served overseas for six months or more. Those who nad served in the ranks since January 1. 1942. would receive also, as a release benefit, the postwar credits announced in February. 1942. Provision had been made on a comprehensive scale for re-instate-ment in civilian employment, for further educational training, and for the completion of apprenticeships. Moreover, final details were being worked out "and shortly would be announced of a scheme for a resettlement bonus up to / £150...f0r exmembers of the forces wishing to restart in business on their own account.. ..and disabled ex-members, wishing to start in business for the first time. Provision of Gratuities Those release benefits alone —apart from the other extensive re-settle-ment measures but including service post-war credits and more civilian outfits which are being provided in cash or kind for all members of the forces on release —would mean a capital expenditure approaching £500,000,000. The Government was: determined to supplement this amount by a further sum of £2OO.- : 000,000 for providing war gratuities, , v/hich will depend on the length of : service as well as on rank. The Minister said the re-settlement plan was incomparably wider in scope and more liberal in its benefits than the arrangements made after the last war. The basic gratuity for ratings . and other ranks would'be 10s, and for the lowest rank of officers 25s' for each complete month of service. Officers and men who had hpld rank above the lowest would qualify for higher rates of gratuity, rising in the case of' an admiral of the fleet, a field-marshal, or a marshal of the R.A.F., to a maximum of 755. Women members of the forces and nursing officers would in general receive twothirds the rate for the corresponding male ranks. An army private, single, with live years' service, three of which were spent abroad, would on demobilisation receive £2B 18s 6d for his 56 days’ release leave, £lB 12s 2d for foreign-service leave. £3l 18s 6d in post-war credit. £l2 for a civilian outfit, arid £3O war gratuit.v; a total of £l2l 9s 2d. A major with similar service would receive a total of £292 8s 3d.