31. Mr. ROBINSONasked the Minister of Pensions the number of applications received from widows and orphans for sickness grants and the number granted and their cost in 12 months to the last convenient date; if any steps are taken to inform these dependants of men who gave their lives for the country that they are eligible for assistance during periods of ill-health; and, if not, will he arrange that the widows and the guardians of orphan children shall be notified by the Ministry that they are eligible for such assistance?
§ Sir W. COPEI have been asked to reply. The number of applications received by the Special Grants Committee during the year ended the 31st December last was 494 and in 74 of these cases the Committee were able to make grants at a cost approximately of £430. The provision for sickness grants, as made in 1924, was designed for cases of a very exceptional character and was subject to specific limitations. Any general advertisement of the grant, in the manner proposed, would only serve to give an erroneous impression of its character and would lead to disappointment.