MILITARY MATTERS.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13936, 19 July 1917, Page 8

MILITARY MATTERS.

INQUIRY OFFICE WANTED. SOME WBOHGS THAT BEQTJ]BE SIGHTING. Speaking to a newspaper representative at Chvistchureli, Dr . Thackcr, Jl.r., rcmai'keil that, there was a great want of j some central re■cognised inquiry office for soldiers' dependants and the soldiers themselves. Relatives of men killed in action should know where to go for instructions regarding pensions, The difficulty in regard- to separation allowances and so on would also be greatly intensified when the Second Division was called on. Dr Thackcr also commented on the insufficiency of peusions given to mothers who hail been absolutely dependant on sons who had been killed, Most of them, he said, had been getting 10s a week, whereas the sons bofore enlisting might have been bringing in from B 10s to fc'l 10s a week.

A more serious matter mentioned by Dr. Thaekev was that soldiers' allotments ofmonoys were not being given effect to. He conceded that it was necessary, to protect soldiers against '.unscrupulous women, but to 'go any furtlTer was a serious interferons with the liberty of ■ the subject. He quoted' a letter received by a married woman to -whom an allotment of 'is a day, had been made, so that moiiey ■ could ' .1)0 cabled quickly if. wanted,; Incidentally the soldier had made out his will in favour of this woman's husband.-. The Defence Department had-iriitton asking this woman what claim »lic bad on the soldier, and in further correspondence it was stated that the allotment would be paid to the soldiei 'a account 1 \ in the Savings Bank. T)r Whacker intends to bring this nuittei up' in Pmliament.