WAR GRATUITIES.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15971, 13 November 1919, Page 2

WAR GRATUITIES.

PROGRESS OF PAYMENTS

(Per United Press Association.) WELLfNGTON, November 12,

Good nrogress is being made in. the payment of the war gratuities to members of the Expeditionary Force, the position at the end of last week being that nl 3,271 applications had been completely dealt with, involving an expenditure of .£856,630, Nearly half of the applications received to date _have gone to the ledger department o'f the Pay Office for making the necessary entries in the soldier’s account, and the special staff engaged in dealing with the original applications is working so well that during one day last week 1138 claims were put through, representing a distribution of .£71,000. The average number disposed of daily is about 760. The whole matter is regarded as urgent, and for that reason overtime is being steadily, worked in this section of the office. Some soldiers who have received their acknowledgment of the claim are puzzled because they hear of others whose acknowledgments bear a later number obtaining an earlier deposit to their credit. Though the claims are approved in order of receipt, the subsequent process in the ledger department cannot always keep up the same pace, as the different clerks hare varying numbers of accounts t» adjust. If there is any necessity for correspondence after receipt of the acknowledgment of a claim, the soldier is advised to mention the serial number, as this will .enable' the claim to be traced without delay.