PENSIONS NEED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 113, 14 May 1936, Page 8

PENSIONS NEED.

between dominions. RECIPROCITY QUESTION. "LOT OF HALF-HEARTEDNESS." (By Telegraph— Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. "A glance at our files shows that the question of reciprocal pensions to operate between New Zealand and Ausiialia has been dead for a long, time," i eiuarked the Minister of Pensions, the Hon. W. E. Parry, to-day, when- his attention was drawn co a cable from Canberra which had stated that there was no hope of Australian co-operation on the'lines of the 1913, scheme. "We must, of course, appreciate the fact that this important matter lias been raised in the Commonwealth Parliament," said the Minister, "notwithstanding the answer given by the Federal Treasurer that, to pass legislation similar to that which is among Iha New Zealand statutes to-day would create too heavy a financial burden. I should not have any diffidence in asking the Prime Minister to revive the matter with the Australian Govern nent to see if some working arrangement about reciprocal pensions could be come to tetween the two sister countries." Mr. Parry said that the files of the Pensions Department dealing with, the question of reciprocity in pensionsbetween New Zealand and Australia would make dull reading to any iuuivid{l'ial interested in the matter. "There has been a lot of half-hearted-ness shown in the negotiations," he said. "Since the New Zealand Parliament passed its legislation for reciprocal pensions time and again the question has been put up to Australia to do the same, but the matter seems to have been shelved in every instance. I feel that if we can press the Australian Government in the right way and show how beneficial the legislation would be to both countries, something might be done. I can recall an interview a good many years ago which Mr. Arthur Rosser, of Auckland, aud i had with the then Commonwealth Prime Minister, Mr. Andrew Fisher, when he was on a visit to New Zealand. There were then a good many Australian men in our mines and their wives lived in Australia. If one of the men happened to be killed or permanently put out of action there was no compensation paid to his' wife. That was the sad position existing at that particular time. We also raised the question of reciprocity in pensions. "I can well remember Mr. Fisher's reply 'surely the difficulty raised can be got over and arrangements made by which there will be reciprocal old-age pensions,'" added Mr. Parry. "This showed lie was keenly interested in the subject, and Mr. Eosser and I came away from our interesting chat with him full of hope. I shall lose no time in bringing up the matter."