WAR GRATUITY.

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 134, 9 June 1920, Page 5

WAR GRATUITY.

PAYMENTS PBACTKIALLy ',ti~.^ ; i ■'■;.■.."caASBD.- • ■■ ■ • '- ~;•<„..,, • -'Ah^y. "... - >.t: ■■■:. .• +.- ! ■::. iW^ttTJfGTON, » June 1 9. : Applications, and payments for the Var.service gratuity hayfe ri now prac*ir.eklly, ceased. ■ It vf&s offibiaHy^sta-ted iyesifcerday that up till Sa^m'day last had been paid out intgijatuiWes a total of' £5,27C.0Q0, representing ab»ut 915000 applications. "•'• , x i; ;^here were'over 100,000' men Si the Expeditionary Force, but this included some thousands who. were not entitled to .the gratuiiy^itnd btherX who had i. returned/to the Dominion^ and left again on active service. ■ This reduced the nni^^fir actually entitled to payment to about 96,000. About 1000 of the 50€0\ who still had a claim to the gratuity\might represent men who obtained"- their discharges in England, but^the retfjrns of the actual number still to come to hand and the names arid addressed cf the remainder have, been ascer 7 trtined and dues ( will be p«id out to. them t when then- appHcations are v.ode.

The Department is now occupied ;n. th© payment of retrospective children's allowanc*es.

The staff of . the, war expenses branch has been reduced since' December from about 480 to 150.