PENSIONS BILL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 275, 2 September 1936, Page 3

PENSIONS BILL

MINISTER EXPLAINS CHANGES. INVALIDITY PAYMENTS. (Per Press Association.) AVELLINGTON, Sept. 1. In the House of Representatives this evening, moving the second reading of the Pensions Amendment Bill, the Hon. AV. E. Parry referred to the services of the aged peojple of the community in building up and developing the country. Elderely people did not like to think they were being kept by the younger section, and the Bill would overcome that feeling. Mr Parry paid a tribute to the Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon and his associates for the introduction of humanitarian principles into legislation. That legislation made it easier for the Government to-day. The Bill would go a long way to remove anomalies th&t had. been experienced in the past. It would not go so far as the Government would like to see, it go, but it would go as far as the Government had been able to go in the time. Provision would be made for more than 23,000 pensioners and would remove many hardships. It did not do all the Government had in view for the next two years. A\ 7 hen the Bill was passed, New Zealand would again lead the world in the pension system of the country. The removal of fear of want in old age was one of the finest things they could aim at. Mr Parry proceeded to deal with the Bill clause by clause, and said he could not understand why no or very little publicity had been given to invalidity pensions and as far as the House went the only references to it were made by Government members. It had been said that the Government was pensioning off the city at the expense of the country, but that was most unfair. He referred to several farmers who would benefit under the Bill. Regarding the repeal of the disqualification because of imprisonment, Mr Parry said that if a person had suffered imprisonment he had paid the penalty for his offence and should not be deprived from the benefits under the Bill.

Dealing with reciprocal pensions, All* Parrv said that in 1930 certain legislation was passed by the New Zealand Parliament covering an agreement between the New Zealand and Australian Governments, but tjie Australian Government passed no such legislation. Several attempts had been made to get Australia to enter into a reciprocal agreement, but they had been unsuccessful. However the Government would endeavour to come to such an arrangement with Australia and also with the Old Country. The cost of the Bill would run into £1,700.000, and it gave him pleasure tc» say that the Bill would lead the world in humanitarian legislation. Support was given to the Bill by Air S. G. Smith (Nat., New Plymouth), Mr R. A. AVright (Ind., Wellington Subs.), and Dr. AlcMillan (Lab., Dunedin West).