Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

THE GUARDIAN'S ALLOWANCE FOR SOLDIERS' CHILDREN

TO THE EDITOR Sir.—There may be. among your readers, someone in a position similar to my own. I am legal guardian of a child whose mother deserted, and is now divorced from, the father. Before he departed overseas the father applied for the guardian's allowance that is promised to soldiers where the wife is deceased, or, divorced, or has deserted hex children, but the Minister of Defence refuses to grant it for the reason that such an allowance can only .be paid when it is necessary for the maintenance and upkeep of the soldier's home as well as for the maintenance of the guardian. The Minister also says that, as I admitted that I would need to use part of the soldier's allotment to defray his court costs, he could not see his way to help. Since when has it become an offence for a soldier to use his own money to pay a debt incurred in his name? A married soldier may claim this grant of 3s a day, while his wife earns £3 or more weekly, continues to live in her father's home, and does not have the upkeep of a home of her own. Now this KoJdier, who has no one to help increase his army pay, and has a child to keep, is denied the allowance because he is not maintaining a home of his own. Has the Minister of Defence the final word? Has Mr Fraser no say in this miscarriage of justice? This soldier is one of those whom the Prime Minister met overseas, and of whom he was justly proud. Do our men count the cost when they offer their lives and leave their children, perhaps for ever, that we who remain may live in peace? The Minister advised me, as the soldier's attorney, to, make ajpplicaton to the Soldiers' Board. I did so, and the board has promised to carry on his insurance policies until his financial position improves. The R.S.A. appealed on behalf

of the child, who is not strong and needs special care. He has not been able to have the frequent holidays which helped to keep him well while his father was here. Shame on our humane Government to-deprive a soldier of his rights for months quibbling over these two ridiculous questions! Have I used any of the soldier's allotments to meet his private commitments, as I said I intended doing? The small amount paid off his court costs has been paid at my own expense, and I am willing to be'responsible for the balance. If the Government will remit the allowance he should have had I shall be only too happy to pay it as a deposit on a home for him, so that what is left of his army pay, after providing for the child, may go to maintain the soldier's own home. Now, if the Minister of Defence can be satisfled on these two points, will he go ahead and allot this grant of 3s per day, thus putting this soldier on a level with other married men in his unit?—l am, etc., A Soldier's Sister. Oamaru. October 12. .

This article text was automatically generated and may include errors. View the full page to see article in its original form.
Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19411014.2.125.4

Bibliographic details

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24737, 14 October 1941, Page 11

Word Count
529

THE GUARDIAN'S ALLOWANCE FOR SOLDIERS' CHILDREN Otago Daily Times, Issue 24737, 14 October 1941, Page 11

THE GUARDIAN'S ALLOWANCE FOR SOLDIERS' CHILDREN Otago Daily Times, Issue 24737, 14 October 1941, Page 11