§ Sir CHARLES NICHOLSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the fact that widows of men who had declared an allotment in their favour and who died while serving in His Majesty's ships between the 4th August and 21st September are receiving pensions only from the date of widowhood, whereas other widows are receiving allotment plus separation allowance for six months before drawing their pensions, the position of the earlier widows being therefore, considerably worse than that of those whose husbands were lost on and after the 22nd September; and whether stops will be taken to treat both classes equally?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe question is under the consideration of the Select Committee.
§ Sir CHARLES NICHOLSONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will give further consideration to the cases of the widows of men lost in His Majesty's Ship "Good Hope," who had not the same opportunities as other men of making out allotments; is he aware that a number of these men were Reservists, who went off suddenly without having time to make adequate provision for their wives; and whether, in these circumstances, arrangements will be made immediately to pay arrears of pay to dependants and to consider their cases further in view of the fact that many widows have drawn no money at all from the Admiralty from the 2nd August until a few weeks since, when they received a small portion of their pensions?
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§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe matter is under the consideration of the Select Committee.
§ Mr. JOYCEasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the ease of Mrs. Annie Rice, of Limerick, whose son, Private Joseph Rice, was a soldier in the Connaught Rangers, regimental number 8198; whether he is aware that Joseph Rice was killed in action on the 14th of September, 1914, and that, this young man was employed in the Engineer's Department at the Post Office, Limerick, prior to rejoining the Colours after the outbreak of the War; and whether, in view of this woman's circumstances and of the loss to her involved in her son's death, the Government will grant liberal compensation to the deceased soldier's mother?