▁allow ance ▁of ▁ 2 1 / 6 ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁child ▁and ▁ 1 7 / 6 ▁for ▁the ▁second ; ▁but ▁if ▁he ▁died , ▁the ▁or phan ' s ▁allow ance ▁was ▁just ▁ 1 7 / 6 ▁and ▁ 1 2 / 6 ▁respectively . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁a ▁st igma ▁associated ▁with ▁collect ing ▁the ▁p ension . ▁" They ▁gave ▁you ▁this ▁£ 2 / 1 0 , ▁and ▁you ▁had ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁the ▁post ▁office ▁and ▁get ▁the ▁money ▁handed ▁to ▁you ▁over ▁the ▁counter . ▁And ▁if ▁they ▁were ▁busy ▁at ▁the ▁post ▁office ▁they ' d ▁say , ▁' Just ▁stand ▁aside .' " ▁V ase y ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁p ension ▁was ▁not ▁char ity ▁but ▁a ▁stat ut ory ▁right , ▁being ▁compens ation ▁for ▁the ▁life ▁of ▁a ▁serv ic eman . ▁V ase y ' s ▁attitude ▁would ▁bring ▁her ▁into ▁conflict ▁with ▁char itable ▁groups ▁like ▁Leg acy ▁Australia . ▁▁▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁the ▁government ▁announced ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁wid ow ' s ▁p ension ▁of ▁ 5 s ▁per ▁week , ▁but ▁this ▁fell ▁far ▁short ▁of ▁what ▁V ase y ▁was ▁asking ▁for . ▁An ▁ill - tim ed ▁increase ▁in ▁parliament ary ▁sal aries ▁help ▁mobil ise ▁public ▁opinion ▁and ▁V ase y ▁held ▁l unch time ▁r ally ▁at ▁Melbourne ▁Town ▁Hall ▁that ▁attract ed ▁over ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁war ▁wid ows . ▁