It is only to be regretted that the Government has shown so much fear of being over-generous that these reasonable increases have had to be dragged out of it.
The concession now made in regard to separation allowances for children means that the scale has been raised from sixpence a day for each child to about eightpence-halfpenny.
In respect of five children with whom she is left to make the best of things a soldier's wife will receive an additional 7s 6d a week.
Whereas under the old scale she could look to receive - apart from any allotment from her husband - the munificent sum of 24s 6d a week upon which to provide for the necessities of a household of six, she will henceforth be entitled to a maximum of thirty-two shillings.
Small mercies are, however, not to be despised, and this particular one represents a desirable improvement.
The Government has apparently given due weight to the suggestion recently offered by the Advisory Board of the Federation of Patriotic Societies that, in default of an abandonment of the limitation of the number of children of married men accepted for service in respect of whom a separation allowance is payable, it should refrain from accepting men with more than five children while the system of voluntary enlistment is relied upon.
Married men with more than three children are no longer to be enlisted under the voluntary principle.
While it is not easy to perceive any logic in the adherence of the Government to the idea that allowances should not be allotted for a greater number of children than five, the discouragement of the enlistment of married men with large families is a step in the right direction, especially since there is still in the country a large "reservoir'' of single men with no special responsibilities that should exempt them from the obligation to answer the call for recruits.
• Two enthusiastic local curlers - Messrs R. S. Black and O. Balk, - with lady friends, have just returned from a short holiday on the ice at Rough Ridge.
The dam is situated within a stone's throw of the Oturehua Railway Station and hotel, and as it is well over 100 yards in length, and nearly that distance across, it offers a surface which would delight the eye of any keen curler or skater.
The centre portion is reserved for the "roaring game'', and the skaters circle round the outside.
The ice was in excellent order, and friendly games with the local curlers were indulged in every day, while skating by moonlight had quite a fascination of its own.
The local curlers were much pleased with the visit from their town brethren, and as Mr Black is an ex-president of the New Zealand Curling Province, they availed themselves of his presence to hold a curlers' court at which five candidates were initiated in due and ancient form.
On Wednesday two rinks of curlers motored over from Naseby and tried conclusions with the local men.
After two hotly contested games victory rested with the local team, as will be seen from the following scores:- R. Darling, O. Brown, J. White, J. Blackwell, P. Darling (Rough Ridge, 21) beat A. Brown, J. Fraser, R. L. Francis, A. E. Brown (Maniototo, 15); R. S. Black, H. E. Brown, O. Balk, F. Harrex (Rough Ridge, 18) lost to Rev. W. Drake, A. Wilson, J. A. Norrie, R. C. Peebles (Mount Ida, 21). - ODT, 22.7.1916
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
