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fare Committee for consideration and report. Also, for the purpose of section 6(2) of the Act the
Maternity and Child Welfare Committee is to be the body to which an aggrieved widow or other person,
to whom an additional allowance or orphan's pension is payable, may present her case.
The following is a summary of the parts of the Act affecting this Council:—
Widows' pensions are payable to certain widows of insured men at the rate of ten shillings per
week, with an additional allowance in respect of children at the rate of five shillings per week for the
eldest or only child, and three shillings per week for each other child.
Orphans' pensions are payable to the orphan children of insured men or widows at the rate of
7s. 6d. per week.
The age-limit for children is the age of 14 or the age not exceeding 16, up to which the child remains
under full-time instruction in a day school.
An orphan's pension is payable to the guardian or other person having the charge of the child.
Section 6(2) Where a representation is made to the Minister by the local authority or otherwise :—
(a) With reference to an additional allowance payable in respect of a child, tfiat the widow or
other person to whom the additional allowance is payable has deserted or abandoned or
ceased to support the child, or has become disqualified for the time being from receiving
a widow's pension, and that it would be in the interests of the child that the additional
allowance should be administered by the local authority or some other person for the
benefit of the child ;
(.b) With reference to an orphan's pension payable in respect of a child, that it would be in the
interests of the child that it should be administered by the local authority or some other
person for the benefit of the child ;
the Minister, if satisfied that the allegations of the representation are true, and that it would be in
the interests of the child so to do, may direct that the additional allowance or orphan's pension shall
be paid to the person having the charge of the child or to any other person approved by the Minister
or to the local authority, to be administered by such person or by the local authority for the benefit
of the child.
Provided that, where the widow or other person to whom the additional allowance or orphan's
pension is payable has not had an opportunity of presenting her case personally, or through some
person appointed by her, to the local authority or a person appointed for the purpose by the local
authority, the Minister (except where the widow or other person cannot be found, or is in prison, or
in an asylum or other similar institution) shall, before giving any such direction, give the widow or
such other person as aforesaid an opportunity of so presenting her case to a person appointed by him.
Where the Minister is satisfied, on the application of a woman in receipt of an additional
allowance as part of a widow's pension, or of any other person having the charge of a child in respect
of whom an additional allowance or orphan's pension is payable, that the child is or is about to be
placed in the temporary custody of some other person and that the additional allowance or orphan's
pension should be paid to that other person so long as such temporary custody continues, he may
direct that the additional allowance or orphan's pension shall be paid accordingly, subject to such
terms and conditions as he may think fit to impose.
The duties and powers of the Council are:—
(1) To represent to the Minister of Health that the mother of a child in respect of whom an
additional allowance is payable should no longer receive such allowance, but that it should
be administered by the Council or some other person for the benefit of the child.
(2) To make a similar representation concerning an orphan's pension.
(3) To administer such additional allowance or orphan's pension if the Minister so decides.
(4) To investigate and report to the Minister of Health on any matter referred to the Council
and relating to a widow or child to or in respect of whom a widow's or orphan's pension
or additional allowance is payable. (Section 41(5).)
At the time the Act came into operation it was impossible to foretell the amount of work which
would devolve on the Council. As a matter of fact there was no occasion during the year for the
Council to take any action. As there were at the Census of 1921, 2,423 children of living widows, 109
orphans under the age of 15, as well as 501 children of whose parents no information was obtainable, the
absence of any need for interference on the Council's part is very satisfactory to record.