WIVES OF SOLDIERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16545, 19 November 1915, Page 7

WIVES OF SOLDIERS

SOME BADLY PROVIDED FOR. DEFENCE MINISTER TO BE APPROACHED. (Pes'- United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, November 18. The fact that the wives of some of the soldiers now in camp or at the front are dependent upon charitable aid for the support of themselves and their families was mentioned at to-day's meeting of the Wellington Hospital Board. Mr B. R. Gardener drew attention to the growth of tho charitable aid expenditure. The board was being penalised in a scandalous way in connection with enlistments. He mentioned two cases of married rien going into camp and leaving thoir wives destitute. Apparently the Defence Department made no attempt to protect the wives by seeing that the enlisted men allowed a share of their pay to their wives. The Government should make itself responsible for the families of men wfeo joined the Expeditionary Forces. Mr D. Campbell (chairman of,the Charitable Aid Committee) said his committee would like to hear of such cases. It would then approach the military authorities with the object of scouring an allocation from a soldier's pay.' Mr F. T. Moore mentioned fhe hard lot of the wives of interned enemy subjects. The board was giving rations to the wife of one such man, but she needed rent too. The Government should provide for these cases. It was right to intern the' men, but a British community should not penalise the women. Mr C M. Luke said that the position of the soldiers' wives was a matter of grave importance. Apparently a man could get away without disclosing that he was married, and while the men were in camp > they were not compelled to provide for their dependents. Mr F. Castle said that several oases had come before the committee, and he did not think the Defence authorities took sufficient care in the matter. There was no stigma attaching to a soldier's wife who had to accept charitable aid. but the process was not fair to her. The cases of the wives of interned aliens certainly required attention. Several of these women were dependent on the board.. The chairman. Mr H. Baldwin, and Mr D. Campbell were appointed a deputation to make representations on the subject to the Defence Minister.