Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1941. REMITTANCES TO SOLDIERS.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 July 1941, Page 4

Wairarapa Times-Age WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 1941. REMITTANCES TO SOLDIERS.

PROPOSAL approved by a conference in Wellington recently of national and provincial patriotic bodies that the amount which may be remitted annually to any member of I lie tight ing forces overseas should be raised from ,£3ONZ to £;>OXZ has much to commend it, and does,not err on the side of liberality. By New Zealand standards, and though it compares favourably with that ruling in many other armies, the current scale ol pay to our troops in the field, particularly in the case of rankers, is by no means over-generous. As a matter of equity, New Zealand soldiers who arc in a position to have money remitted from home —in many cases their own money—should be allowed every reasonable facility for doing so.

In these circumstances, the proposal of the patriotic bodies that the permitted annual remittance should be increased from £3ONZ to £SOXZ must be called moderate and reasonable, It has to be remembered that a remittance of £3O in New Zealand currency is converted into £24 sterling in the Middle hast and that a remittance of £S()NZ would be converted into £4O sterling.

Even where the personal requirements and privileges ol members of the fighting forces are concerned, account of course has to be taken of the need of conserving sterling funds, but this Avonld provide an argument for maintaining the existing limit on remittances only if it could be shown that the change proposed would give rise to a demand by soldiers on sterling funds which could be regarded as extravagant and abnormal in comparison with the corresponding demand made by New Zealanders who stay at home. The weight of public opinion no doubt will be that it is only right, that the people of the Dominion should bear any sacrifice that may be necessary in order that our troops may be permitted to draw to the extent now proposed on remittances supplementing their available pay.

A statement is sought by the patriotic bodies from the Minister of Finance as Io the total amount, sent overseas in remittances 1o soldiers since the beginning ol the war. The disclosure of Ihe facts may be conclusive as showing that no undue drain would be imposed on sterling funds by increasing the maximum amount of permitted remittances to £SONZ. In any case, full consideration should be given to the question of equity as between the soldier and the civilian. This is a matter to which due attention should be given by members of the House of Representatives when Parliament reassembles next week'.