§ 82. Mr. STURROCKasked the Secretary of State for War whether the estate of the late Acting-Corporal Henry Gardiner Milne, M.M., No. 24718, 1st Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers, amounted to £27 19s. Id.; whether Mrs. A. A. Milne, Russell Street, Dundee, his widow, received £9 6s. 5d., and the remaining sum of £18 12s. 8d. was invested in the Orphans' Savings Bank at 2½per cent, compound interest; on behalf of her child Agnes Christie, now three years of age, until she is twenty one; whether he is aware that Mrs. Milne is a highly respect able woman who has to go to work to support herself and child owing to her pension being insufficient; whether Mrs. Milne has been asked to appear before a parade of troops to be presented with the Military Medal and bar won by her husband; and what steps were taken to ascertain the best interests of the child before investing the residue of the late soldier's estate?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe procedure is in accordance with the general rule. The money belongs to the child. If it can be shown that it is to the child's interest that a portion of the money be issued at once the question will be considered on receipt of the necessary information.
§ Mr. STURROCKIs it not the case that the right hon. Gentleman has ample power under the Regimental Debts Act, 1893, to distribute these estates; and will he inform the House what procedure is followed before a decision is arrived at as to whether a certain proportion of the money will be held up on behalf of the children?
§ Mr. FORSTERIn these matters we have to proceed according to law. I am always very glad to take as wide a view of this question as is possible. If my hon. Friend or anyone who knows the mother to whom the question refers satisfies me that it is in the interest of the child to make some payment to the mother instead of holding it up for the child, T shall be glad to do it.
§ Mr. STURROCKIs it not a fact that great delay takes place in the distribution of these estates on account of the fact that the War Office insists upon dividing the estates up partly in the interest of the mother and partly in the interest of the children; and will the right hon. Gentle man consider a representation in favour of the distribution of small estates in their entirety to the mother?
§ Mr. FORSTERI should be very glad to do that if it were possible, but I am afraid I cannot make a general rule to that effect.