§ Sir B. FALLEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in the event of a magistrate or judge making the wife of a naval rating who refuses to live with her through no fault on the wife's part the guardian of the three children of the marriage, the Admiralty would pay her children's allowances in respect of the three children?
Mr. DAVIDSONIt is presumed that my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind the case of a wife of a naval rating who forwards to the Admiralty a magistrate's order against her husband for the maintenance of herself and her children. In 2535W such an event endeavours would be made through the man's commanding officer to induce the rating to declare a voluntary allotment for the sum named in the order. If he refused, action would be taken under Section 98A of the Naval Discipline Act, and a compulsory charge instituted against his pay at the appropriate rate named in the Act, or at the rate specified in the order, whichever is the smaller. Marriage allowance would not be payable to the wife in addition, either for herself or for the children, marriage allowance being granted to enable a rating to maintain a home, and not being an allowance to a wife qua wife.