APRIL 21.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 991

2. The following conditions shall govern the payment of marriage allowance:—

(a) In the case of a Naval rating, non-commissioned Officer or man, Royal Marines, an allotment must be declared of at least one-half of his pay (including non-substantive pay and badge pay, but excluding other allowances and deferred pay), plus the full amount of the marriage allowance.

(b) Marriage allowance will be payable irrespective of place of residence of wife, or of guardian in the case of a widower, provided the necessary allotment is made.

(c) Marriage allowance may be paid in regard to stepchildren and adopted children under sixteen years of age, provided that the rating claiming the allowance maintains such children and that they are not in receipt of endowment from any other source.

(d) Before giving approval to applications Commanding Officers are to satisfy themselves, as far as practicable, that the statements contained in the application form are true and correct. In this connection certificates of marriage, and birth certificates in respect of the children, should be examined whenever possible, or steps taken to have some produced at a later date.

(e) The authority for payment of marriage allowance is, in the case of an Officer, to be retained by the Accountant Officer, and, in the case of a man, attached to his service certificate. Duplicate applications are to be forwarded into office, and a notation should be made on the same clearly indicating whether marriage and birth certificates have been produced.

(f) The Naval Board may require the complete renewal of all applications as and when considered desirable. On these occasions, the particulars given are to be compared with those on the forms in the possession of the Accountant Officer or attached to men’s service certificates. If any irregularities are found, the person concerned is to be called upon for an explanation, and any adjustments which may be necessary in the allowances already credited are to be effected in his account.

(g) The Naval Board may withhold payment of the whole or part of the allowance when considered desirable.

(h) For purposes of mulcts and conduct deductions, marriage allowance is not to be included in the daily rate of pay, this allowance being regarded for this purpose similarly to lodging and provision allowances. Payment is not, however, to be made when a rating is in cells, prison, &c., and pay stopped in consequence.

(i) During sickness, or periods of imprisonment not exceeding ninety days, when allotments would ordinarily be stopped, the allotment to wife or guardian should be continued at a rate not less than the amount of marriage allowance which would have been payable. A declaration of allotment at the reduced rate is to be made in every such case, and the form forwarded into office. Any debt accumulated by such allotment may be recovered in easy instalments, or, in the event of discharge, should be communicated for recovery from deferred pay.

(j) Where it is not possible for a qualifying allotment to be declared or retained in force, owing to the wife of an officer or man accompanying him on a sea voyage, or in other special circumstances, payment of marriage allowance may be allowed if, after investigation of the circumstances, the Commanding Officer is satisfied that the case is genuine. Payment in such cases is subject to confirmation by the Naval Board, and to a qualifying allotment being declared as soon as practicable.

3. Marriage allowance may be paid to widowers with children under the age of sixteen years in accordance with the following scale, subject to an allotment being declared in favour of a guardian of one-quarter of active pay (computed as in 2 (a) ) plus the full amount of marriage allowance. Subject to investigation in each case, the Naval Board may also approve of payment of marriage allowance on this scale in cases where, owing to illness, misconduct, or desertion on the part of the wife, the children are placed under the care of a suitable guardian.

Per Diem. Per Diem.
s. d. s. d.
One child .. .. 1 6 | Four children .. .. 3 0
Two children .. .. 2 0 | Five children .. .. 3 6
Three children .. 2 6 | Six children or more .. 4 0

(With effect from 1st January, 1938.)