PENSIONS BILL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 277, 4 September 1936, Page 3

PENSIONS BILL

CIVIL AND MILITARY GRANTS. THREE PASSED BY THE HOUSE. (Abridged from Press Assciation.) WELLINGTON, September 3. Urgency was accorded in the House to-day to the passing of the Pensions Amendment Bill, which was considered further in committee. The short title was passed after a further brief discussion. Mr W. J. Poison (Nat., Stratford) moved an amendment to Clause 2 with the object of debarring criminals from obtaining a pension in certain circumstances. He strongly objected to people being taxed to provide a pension for criminals. On a division, the amendment was defeated by< 36 votes to 11. Speaking to Clause 7, several members of the Opposition referred to the pension of £3l to widows of Civil Servants, and they contended that the amount was not enough. The Hon. W. Nash said that if a Civil Servant’s widow had a claim to a pension she would receive in addition to the £3l, 10s a week for each child. The Government provided £2,000,000 to remove anomalies and make things better, yet the Opposition was asking that more should be done. There were thousands of widows without children to-day who were getting no pension. The party that built the injustice were now saying to give them some more.

The lit. Hon. G. W. Forbes said it was not reasonable on the part of Government speakers to meet suggestions from the Opposition with the retort, “Why didn’t you do it?” He reminded the Government that his Government was facing deficits and was not able to spend money as the present Government was doing in these times of plenty. Mr S. G. Smith (Nat., New Plymouth) asked the Minister if ho would make provision for widows without dependents that would enable them to get the benefits of the amendments made in the Bill. The only assistance such women could receive was from Hospital Boards. The clause was passed.

Deserted Wives. Coming to Clause 8, dealing with pensions for deserted wives, Mr W. A. Bodkin (Nat., Central Otago) moved an amendment to provide that such pension could be granted in cases where there was no collusion between the applicant and her husband, and that her conduct was not the cause of the husband deserting her. Mr Bodkin said there were many cases of that kind where a pension should be granted as a matter of right, but it was a dangerous clause. There were many married women who would be much better off if their husbands did clear out, provided they could get a pension that would ensure a livelihood to them and their children.

The Hon. W. E. Parry said he would tighten up the matter. He had no sympathy with the man who deserted his wife.

Mr Bodkin said that in view of Mr Parry’s statement, lie would not press for a division, and the amendment was lost.

A number of amendments moved by the Minister were agreed to, and the committee stages were completed. The Bill was read a third time and passed. The Family Allowances Bill and the War Pensions Amendment Bill were also put through their remaining stages and passed. The House rose at 10.25 p.m.