THE PATRIOTIC FUND—THE RECIPIENTS OF RELIEF.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 304, 29 September 1855, Page 6

THE PATRIOTIC FUND—THE RECIPIENTS OF RELIEF.

The Commissioners have issued a circular (to take effect from March 2) setting forth the scale of allowance for the widows and orphans of the non-commissioned officers and privates of the army and marines, aud petty officers and seamen of the na!vy. The widow of. a: staff non-commissioned officer, without children, is to receive 6s, weekly; if with one child, 75.; two, Bs.; three, Bs. 6d. ; four, &s.; five, 9s. 6d. A sergeant's widow, without children, will receive ss. weekly; if with one child, 65.; two, 75.; three, 7s. 6d. ; four, Bs.; five, Bs. 6d- (If a colour sergeant's widow, 6d. additional.) A corporal's widow, without children, 4s. weekly; with one child, 55.; two, 65.; three, 6s. 6d.; four, 75.; five, 7s. 6d. A drummer's, trumpeter's, or private's widow, without children, will receive 3s. 6d.; with one.child, 4s. 6ti.; two, ss. 6d. ; tliree, 65.; four, 6s. 6d.; five, 7s. The corresponding ranks in the navy are as follows:—Staff non-commis-sioned officer, sth class, sergeant, 6th class ; corporal, 7th class ; and private, Bth class. Sixpence additional, per week, will be given to every infirm person. All allowances are to be subject to the condition stated in the Royal Commission, that the recipients are unable to maintain or supp-rt themselves, and in general these will not lie made or continued to orphans after they shall have attained the ag"e of fifteen. As the foregoing scale for widows and orphans must necessarily be influenced by the various circumstances of every case, although the scale is to be the general rule, the committee are tn be at liberty to deviate from it in cases calling for the exercise of their discretion ; sickness and lying-in, for example, will admit of exception. The allowances are in no instance to be transferred or assigned, and their continued payment must depend on the circumstances of the parlies and the sufficiency of the fund to answer the demand upon it. That the allowance to widows cease upon their second marriage, unless continued by an express order of the committee ; but during any subseqiientwidowhood the|widow istobealliberly to apply to be replaced on the fund; but no woman is to continue to receive an allowance if she shall, in the opinion of the committee, by profligate conduct dishonour the memory of her husband. The Royal Commission has confined relief to those who are unable to maintain or support themselves; this shows the necessity of industrial pursuits by the widows of soldiers, sailors, and marines; and the executive committee, desirous of encouraging and rewarding those who endeavour by honest industry to gain their own livelihood, have resolved fhat, where any widow not receiving relief from this fund for herself, shall in the month of January in any year pro-

duce to the Secretary of the Royal Commissioners a certificate signed by her master or mistress that she is in their service, or a certificate signed.by the clergyman of the parish that she is tnuintairiuig herself by carrying on, any business or other occupation, the committee will present every such widow, upon every such certificate, with a sum not less than two guineas nor more than four guineas, according to their opinion of her merits.— Sydney Empire.