§ 33. Miss Eleanor Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a full statement showing the position of a separated wife regarding her claim to a separation allowance for herself and the children of a soldier in her charge, distinguishing between cases where the wife has received an allowance from the soldier before his enlistment under a maintenance order, or a judicial separation, or by informal agreement, or is entitled to such an allowance under maintenance order or judicial separation, and has made reasonable efforts to secure its payment without success, and, further, showing how the claim will be affected if an allowance is also claimed by a woman living with the soldier as his concubine?
§ Captain MargessonI will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate a full statement on this subject in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. ThurtleIs it desirable to use such a term as "concubine"? Is it not specially offensive?
§ Miss RathboneWould the right hon. and gallant Gentleman be good enough to see that his reply is circulated widely among the troops, so that soldiers and their wives may know their rights in the matter, and among paymasters?
§ Following is the statement: