War Gratuities For

Fuzzy-Wuzzies

From Our Canberra Correspondent July 27.

NATIVES of Torres Straits Islands, New Guinea and Papua, may receive war gratuities under an Act which passed through the Senate to-day.

The Act provides for payment of varying sums of money as free gifts to Service members from the Commonwealth in recognition of war service.

Section 5 of the Act provides that in the case of Servicemen who are natives of Torres Straits Islands or aboriginal natives of Australia enlisted at rates of pay less than the minimum rates of pay prescribed for male members of the Aus tralian Military Forces, the rate of war gratuity shall be ten shillings for each month or part of a month.

Under sub-section B of the same sec tion members who are natives of New Guinea or Papua may be given war gratuities in the form of a monetary pay ment, or in some other form as may later on be prescribed.

Rates of payment have not yet been announced.