AID TO SOLDIERS.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14643, 22 February 1918, Page 2

AID TO SOLDIERS.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BOARD

CRITICISED

Strong disapproval was expressed at j the special meeting of members of the) Wellington Second Division League on '. Tuesday evening at the help to soldiers granted by tte Soldiers' Financial '■ Assistance Board, and a demand was \ made for the re-opening of the whole \ question of both separation and special j allowance's. - . The chairman,■ Mr. R. A. Armstrong, of the league, said the executive had deemed it its duty to call members together at this stage, as three ballots of the Second Division had already been held, and Class A was now exhausted. He regretted to report that the* executive was rot at all satisfiedat the manner in which the interests of soldiers and their dependents were being looked after at the present time. Ttey were sorry to state that no adquate provision was being made to keep the wives and children of soldiers in decent comfort. They did not ask for luxuries; all they asked was that-the wives and children ■of soldiers should be kept in ordinary decency. All would not be called tipon to go, but those who did not should see tfcat the dependents of those who ■- did go w;ere properly provided for and their homes kept, going. . .; So far as Second Division reservists were/ concerned, they were willing to plaj the game, but they were going to see to it that the game was also played by the authorities. (Applause). To say that the Second Division was not going was nonsense. It was true that, owing to circumstances already fully explained.the date of the ' first of the Second Division going into camp had been postponed, but if;this country was going to play its proper part the Second Division would have to go in its turn. No pressure, he emphasised, had 'beer brought to bear by the Second Division to bring about any such postponement, but he suggested that if pressure bad been brought to bear it was by the financial interests of the country, who were afraid to bear the cost. (Applause.) The chairman proceeded to quote typical cases as showing the manner in which fmanaeial assistance was heir g granted. He prefaced these by quoting a letter dated 31st January, 1918, written by the Minister of Defence to tte Second Division League. In this letter the Minister stated that j the policy of the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board with respect to life [ insurance was as follows:—"The board i will- consider the payment of insurance I premiums; and war ioadftg "(if any) on the full sum assured under policies taken out some time prior to the date of the enlistment of the soldier, or to Hs being called up in the ballot, subject, of course, rto his financial circumstances warranting a grant t.nder the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Regulations In the case of tew policies up to £200 only, the board is prepared to consider payment of the. ordinary premiums and the war loading?''where there is no existing polity, and wher<* the circumstances warrant' a grant of financial assistance. Several grants have been made to meet premiums or new policies, and the board l:as only declined to authorise payment of premium in those cases where the financial : circumstances of the' applicant, in the , opinion of the board, did not warrant a grant." SOME TYPICAL CASES. They would see, said Mr. Armstrong, how the terms of that letter were be^ ing fulfilled. Tte cases he quoted were j as.follow.:— t , Case I.—Reservist drawr in Second Division ballot. Applied for financial assistance for recurring ; obligations (overv.and. above livir g expeti&esX totalling £27 lps'4d; also asked re new life ! policy for £200. Board replied stating: r "With reference to your request for i payment of your premium on a new life insurance policy of £200, I regret to inform you that the board has no authority to grant assistance toward the ! payment of any but existing obliga- ; tions." Information supplied .-.as re j quested, and final reply from the board stated "regrets that it cannot authorise any financial assistance in yo^p- case." Applicant, wbrlatg on wages, and his wife will have-no income other tlan his military pay allotment and allowance. Case 2.—Reservist volunteered before the first Second Division ballot. Applied for financial assistance for recurring obligations (in excess of living expenses) totalling £60 13s lOd. Board replied: "Took ir.to consideration-full circumstances, but regrets that it cannot authorise any financial assistance. Board suggests you should arrange for payment of principal to be deferred during" your milita-rv service, and your wife should then be able to meet recurring obligations' out of her allotment and allowances without : any urdte hardslip." After meeting obligations, £75 19s 6d (£1 9s per week) left for wife, who is in delicate health, to keep her home going, feed and clothe herself, etc., keep place in repair, and meet regular medical .expenses. j Class 3.—Husband ordered camp 6th March. Wife applied for financial assistance, rent los per week, also new insurance policy. * Board replied: "Ir. connection with life insurance, the board can only undertake consideration of existing obligations, "and any furtter obligation incurred should be a matter entirely for your owr arrangement. 1 would point out that, any assistance granted by this board will be subject to your husband making an allotment of os 6<l per day in your favour." Applicant replied: (1) Present income £3 IS* per week and war bonus; (2) wife no income; (3) asked for further consideration re ii:su ranee; (4) willing to leave 3s Gd a day to wife. Board'^ final reply: "Took into consideration full circumstances, but regrets that it cannot authorise any financial assistance in your case." ■ _ Case 4.—Reservist applied for financial assistance, premium and war risk on new policy of £200. Explaired that could not carry on policy unless grantmade, board's reply: "Cannot authorise any financial assistance in your case." Case s.—Civilian salary, £G per week. Made application for financial assistance respecting rert and insurances, totalling £60 7s 'Bd. Board replied "regrets cannot authorise any financial assistance, in your case." Applicant wa-ote asking whether tte board had not made some mistake, as grants had been made to "other simihir applicants. Board replied application reconsidered aid resolved to grant lifeinsurance premium, £7 11s 3d, adding, "the grant has been authorised subject to your making an allotment cf 3s 6d per day in favour of your wife." Case 6.—'Applied for financial assistance,^ rent and life insurance, totalling £55 os. Board replied granted: Or. account of rent, £13; insurance, £3 os • total, £16 ss. ■ . Case 7.—Applied for financial assistance respecting mortgage, rates and insurances, totalling £42 4s 7d; 'civilian income, £254 10s; ,income of dependent after enlistment, £114. Board granted life insurance, £13 17s. Case.B-.T—Mrs.. -~one child, husband on service, allotment and separ- ■ ation allowances, 7s per day. Applied

for rent, 11s per week, £28 12s. Refused. Case 9.—Reservist'sn average wage, £4* per week; appealed with view of ensuring adequate financial assistance ; Appeal Board recommerded grant. Applied for rent (18s per week), £46 16s: life insurance, £16 13s sd; total, £63 9s sd. Granted: insurance £16 13s pd; rent ou account, £1.3; total, £29 13s sd. This moans tfcat reservist's' wife, who is an invalid, will have £1 ! 12s 6d per week for all purposes, after ;'paying balance of rent. GIVEN AND TAKEN AWAY. Case 10.—Mrs. , three children. Jtlusoand volunteered. Applied for assistance, rer.o of rooms las' per week. Board made grant fcieptember, 1917: Rent 13s per week, £33 16s. Found just before husband sailed that an old insurance policy could be renewed if war risk were paid. Made application to the F.A. Board, which replied: "The resolution conveyed to you m my fetter of sth September last was rescinded, and in lieu thereof a fresh grant was- authorised, as follows: Rent (on account), £13 per annum; life insurance (including war loading), £23 12s; total, £36 liss." Applicant wrote asking whether mistake had not been made, as she found "it hard to believe that while giving me an increase for insurance they immediately deprive me of4 any benefit by reducing nry rent al--lowaxce by practically the same amount:" Board replied: ."You. have apparently omitted to take into consideration the fact that, your separation allowance has beea increased as from Ist January, by 2s per day, and the allowance made on behalf of your children by 9d per day, or a total of f £50 3s. 9d per annum. ■ In view of this, ■you-will have no difficulty in understanding the attitude and decision, of the board." Case 11 (reservist). —Applied for financial assistance: Instalments on loan £18, life assurance £6 ss, rent £58 10s ■ total, £72 15s. Board granted : Part instalments or loan £12, life assurance £6 ss; total, £18 ss. ' Applicant asked for reconsideration. Board granted additional £26 per annum on account "of rent. Even then his wife has, with separation allowance and alllotment,. orly £1 9s 6d per ' week. . Case 12 (comparative).—Reservist ' applied for financial assistance: lleni £78, life assurance £26 Is 6d, lire :n----si;rance 18's 8d; total, £105 0s 2d. Board granted: Kent (on account) £52, insurance £26; total £78. On furthei ; representations applicant got at increase of £86 16s lOd. 1 The chairman, stated that the board, ■ in its reply in one case, inferred that 1 the -wife could go out to work. He cited the last example as showing that the board was fairly liberal in some cases. Ho complained also of delay in many cases. CIRCULAR RESCINDING PREVIOUS GRANTS. "Now," he said, "I come to isle most shocking experience we have had yet.': The details lie quoted were as foliow :— i "Mrs. , three children (one borri • after hiisbarid,. left. Husbana lefl ' with Fifth Reinforcements. Wife went i to work to keep home going. When Financial Assistance Regulations vvere brought down in January, 1917, she applied for house rent, and "was grant ed £39 per annum in April, 1917. For t two years she had to struggle or: as ; best she could. Now F.A. Board has notified her that this' grant has been rescinded. The notification is on a printed form indicating that the board contemplates a wholesale rescindmeni of grants irade in view of increased separation allowances. The form, which is printed, with spaces for rames and amounts of grants .is as follows:— .'/Soldiers' Financial Assistance 1 ■ " ■'■■■ \ Board. v .---■■' '•■'v .. Wellington, 1918. "Dear . —ln view,- of * the increased separation allowances pay-;:-kable.; to-you, by the. Defence Department as from the Ist January, 1918. the board, after carefully reconsider--1 ing your_ case,1 ha« decided to rescirc its existing grant of 1 "In arriving at this determiiiatioii the board held that in accordance 1 with your present circumstances the above mentioned obligation can now ; be met by you without any undue hardship, and has irstructed the War Expenses Department to discontinue payments. "Yours faithfully, . ■ "S.-J. Wills, Secretary." Thoy were getting other cases like this, so the circular appeared to be one that was being sent out generally. That was the reply to the ■ increased separation allowances they had gained. "Now," said Mr. Armstrong, "you will see that so far as the grantirg ol , financial assistance is concerned, not only is there inconsistency, but that the statements made to us by Cabinet ' Ministers and to the House thai there was no need to make the separation allowances we asked for because of the special provisions have not been fulfilled. The promises made have been broken. Are you. going to stand that?"" (Cries of "NoV and applause.) They might not go themselves, but they must stand by the dependents oi; those who had gone or were going^ (Prolonged applau-se.) The following resolutions were carried :— "That this meeting of members of the Second Division League emphatically protests against the action of the Financial Assistance' Board in rescinding grants of financial assistance on the ground that the separation allowances have been increased, and calls upon the Minister of Defenco to take immediate steps to protect the interests of our soldiers on service and their dependents by instructing ; the board to take nc further action along these lines and by reinstating such grants as may already have been cancelled." "That this meeting of Second Division Reservists, having fully considered the evidence of inconsistency in the grants- made by the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board, ■and the Board's failure to adequately interpret the regulations, urges upon tho Government the necessity of holding an immediate and exhaustive inquiry into l\\-, manner in -whichtho -rrants by the Board are determined, and -farther urges the recoristitution of the board and the establishment of Financial Assistance Boards m onch of the thief provincial centres cf the Dominion." 1 _ "That this meeting o f members of tho Second Division League expresses its regret and disappointment* at the reply of the Minister of Defence regarding, payment of the increased scale of separation allowances to men I on nome service wno are actually . serrated fro^; t'uCir families, and in •View of the definite statement «isd"e ov the Minister in Parliament that there would be no discrimination between men of the home service and foreign service branches, calls upon Government to -fulfil the promise so made m the cases .of those men who : are • actually separated from their familms r.-nd who <ir e i n conseqiiocw r.ot in receipt of rationing allowance." to -..-,.- ---: _ "That this meeting of Second Divi- : sion reservists strong contends that 1 the present scale of separation allow-

ances is quite inadequats to secure j the .preservation of the homes of our ; .soldiers, ana urges upon Government ] <?■ the necessity of' reopening this in»t- i ' ter immediately upot the reassembly ] : cf Parliament wita1 .a. view to inereas- '< ■ing the allowances to wives and chil- ■ dren and making adequate, provision I 1 for widowed mothers." . "That this meeting appoints tire) executive of ths league as a deputa- j tion to wait = Upon the. Minister of' Defence and lay before him the reso- j hrtions carried at this meeting, withl an earnest request for immediate and '• effective attention." — (xVbTidged "Post" report.!)