PATRIOTIC WAR RELIEF SOCIETIES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 25 October 1917, Page 6

PATRIOTIC WAR RELIEF SOCIETIES.

SEPARATION ALLOWANCES. GOVERNMENT CONGRATULATED ON PROPOSALS. (U»it»d Psms Amcouutzox.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Th e Advisory Board of the Patriotic War Relief Societies Federation met to-day. The Minister of Defence wrote stating that it was proposed to increase the widowed mothers' allowances to 10s 6d and raise the limit of income to 10s. Some time ago the Advisory Board wrote to the Minister of Defence urging that the Financial Assistance Board be empowered to assist sailors and their dependents in the same wayi as soldiers and their dependents were now being; helped. The Minister replied that the matter was still before Cabinet. The Board -considered that the Minister of Lands' reply to its suggestion in reference to th e settling of returned soldiers on the land was most satisfactory. The correspondence read showed that the Government was giving every consideration to the question of the technical training of returned soldiers. Tsie Board considered that the replies of the Minister to its representations on the subject were satisfactory. A letter lbelieved to be from a memoer of the Rifle Brigade was read, urging that funds be given to supplement the army rations, so as to give greater varietv.

The* Board resolved to ask the societies to send £250 now and £250 in six months' time to meet cases of the kind referred to by the writer. The meeting passed a motion of congratulation to the Government Tipon the amended scale of separation allowances, and expressing the opinion that the scale is as liberal as the circumstances of the Dominion will permit.