GRATUITIES FOR SOLDIERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3415, 29 August 1919, Page 50

GRATUITIES FOR SOLDIERS

SIR JAMES ALLEN'S SCHEME. (Fhou Oub Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 26. Sir James Allen submitted his gratuities scheme-~to the Cabinet yesterday, but there was not time to deal with it fully, and it must have full consideration during the week. No announcement may be made before the end of the week. A great deal of interest has for a long time been shown by the soldiers as to the amount of the gratuities to be paid. The most. general suggestion is that the amount may be Is for every day of service, although very many of them demand more tharn this. One shilling per day does not amount to much for the individual, but it will amount to a great deal in the aggregate. For the purposes of an estimate it will be fairly correct to average the service of every man at two years, and at this rate the charge for gratuities would amount to very little short of £4,000,000. The scheme first brought down by-the Government proposed that married men should receive one week's pay for every 13 weeks of service, and that single men should receive one week's pay for every 18 weeks of service. This payment, it was estimated, would amount to £1,250,000, and the rate would have been rather less than 4d a day with extra provision for officers, which would certainly be considered in accordance with army • practice. The amount ■ involved is very large, and it is quite possible that the Government will propose something less, under all heads, say, £3,000,000. The payment of retrospectice allowances which is being granted will amount to £250,000. The total under the head of pensions will be small relatively. To reduce this to figures for the individual soldier the payment would amount to about £1 for every month of service. It should be understood that these are hot official figures, and there are not yet any final official figures because, the scheme has not had the approval of the Cabinet.