Gratuity Application Forms Available

Northern Advocate, 21 December 1945, Page 7

Gratuity Application Forms Available

The issue of application forms for war service gratuity commenced throughout New Zealand yesterday. A steady stream of ex-servicemen has. passed through the money-order branch of the Whangarei Post Office, where the forrnjs art being issued locally.

The forms are of two types, one for men discharged from the forces and the other for widows or next-of-kin of deceased servicemen or women.

Gratuities are being paid at the l’ate of 2/6 per day for service outside New Zealand, on the same basis as that for assessment of deferred pay. Those, whose service was within New Zealand, will receive 8d a day.

In addition to the form, each applicant is issued with a pamphlet which gives all information regarding gratuity payments. In making his application, the discharged serviceman must state his full name, the service or services to which he belonged, his ‘rank on .discharge, whether he is in receipt of a war pension, and whether it is permanent for total or partial disablement, ’ . 01temporary. Tn giving details of his fully”moi> ilised service in the army, navy or air force, the applicant states his service number, the dates of commencement and end of his service, both in New Zealand and abroad, and in the case of army duties in the Dominion, his unit and military headquarters. MUST SPECIFY OFFICE A list of post offices at which gratuity accounts may be opened appears on the back of the form. The office, where gratuity is to be deposited, must be named. ; < *j, As regards a deceased serviceman or woman, the applicant is required to give his or her full name, the service number, surname and Christian names and rank of the deceased and the date of death, and the service to which he or she belonged at the time .of or prior to his or her death. It must also be stated whether the death took place in New Zealand or overseas. Other information sought is whether deceased was married or not, a widower, divorced or separated ’ from his wife, what relationship he was to the applicant, whether the applicant is acting on his or her own behalf or for the children of deceased only or for both the applicant and the children, the names of whom are to be given on the back of the form. Questions are also asked regarding the deceased’s will and who are the beneficiaries under it. If the applicant was dependent oh deceased, particulars of allotment made ai*e requested. The application takes the form of a statutory declaration to be made before a justice of the peace, solicitor or postmaster or other person appointed to take applications. On completion, the form is to be handed into the nearest post office or posted direct to the Director of Base Records, Wellington.