What seems a grave anomaly in the family allowance scheme
was disclosed at the Toynbee Hall Juvenile Court last Monday. The mother of a boy charged there—and of six other children—was shown to be receiving 33s. widow's pension and 31s. supplementary pension and paying 24s. rod, a week rent. When she draws the 3os. family allowance to which she is entitled her supplementary pension will, according to the chairman of the bench, who com- mented pointedly on the proceeding, be reduced by precisely that amount. But there is, of course, another side to this. Should a woman who is receiving public money specifically for the support of her children have it doubled from another public source? Actually, the Assistance Board is perfectly free to add what it thinks fit to an income made up of pension plus family allowance. But there are several anomalies in this field to iron out.
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