A MEASURE OF HELP

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 158, 4 July 1916, Page 2

A MEASURE OF HELP

TO FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS. NOT ALL THEY ASKED FOE. The Government's proposals, incorporated in the Finance Bill, for State assistance to tho friendly societies, appear to fulfil only in part the expectations of the bodies to be benefited. The societies, however, are glad to get the measure of financial assistance for which the proposals provide —a £4 maternity bonus from the Consolidated Revenue, and a subsidy to enable old age annui.ties .to be granted. The Government's proposals are the tmtcome of a- conference between representatives of all the friendly societies in New Zealand, on the one hand, and on the other the Minister in charge of friendly societies (the Hon. J. A. Hanan") and the Minister in charge of the National Provident Fund (the Hon. A. M. Myers), in April last. The conference was the outcome of a demand by all the friendly societies for a measure of State assistance, in view of the fact that the National Provident Fund, which "had become a formidable, competitor, is heavily subsidised out of Consolidated Revenue, tho Government bearing the entire cost of administration, not a penny of which is deducted from the contributers' payments. The societies contended that in consideration of the valuable work they had done for half a century and more the Government should grant them a subsidy on the basis of the amount contributed annually by members, equivalent to the subsidy granted to the National Provident Fund, calculated on the 6ame basis.

Asked for an opinion on the proposals, Mr. John McLeod. secretary of the Auckland Friendly Societies' Conference, which initiated the movement, stated this morning that the benefits offered by Sir Joseph Ward were considerably less than the souieities considered were strictly due to tbcm. The maternity benefit amounted to £4, whereas the same benefit to subscribers to the fund was £6.-- The annuity proposal was not granted free, as the societies' funds would be drawn upon by the State to cover the cost, which would be helped to some extent by a subsidy. The Government had made no offer to relieve the societies of the cost of management, which would still have to be borne by the members, as in tho past. It had been admitted at tho conference that friendly society members were, in general, in poorer circumstances than contributers to the fund, and in the opinion of many the societies wore deserving of an equal, if not greater subsidy for that reason.