WIDER SCOPE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 205, 29 August 1936, Page 12

WIDER SCOPE.

PENSIONS LAW.

ALL-ROUND INCREASES

PROVISION FOR INVALIDS.

XSSFtXRATIQIf OF THE CUTS

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Friday.

To make operative the pensions increases announced in the Budget, and to establish a new invalidity pension, three bills were introduced by GovernorGeneral's Message prior to the House of Representatives adjourning to-day.

One of the most important features, the Family Allowances Bill, explained by Mr. Parry, Minister of Pensions, is that instead of a father being allowed to draw the allowance, it can also be drawn by the wife. In addition to restoring the cut as from July 1, the bill extends the maximum permissible income from £3 5/ to £4 weekly.

Features of the Pensions Bill include a reduction in the age "for residence eligibility from 25 to 20 years, and the increasing of the old age pension as from July 1 from 17/6 to £1 weekly, with a further addition, operating from December 1, of 2/6, making the total increase 5/ weekly. There is a change in the method of determining income, so that property will not be a handicap unless it produces income.

"There have been cases," said the Minister, "where a pension applicant possessing property which produced nothing, was debarred from receiving a pension."

Widows' pensions will be increased to 10/ a week, with the continuance of the 10/ weekly pension to dependent children.

Deserted wives are to be treated as widows in respect of pensions to themselves and their children. The Minister also explained that the wives of inmates of mental hospitals had- their pension stopped if the latter escaped or were released on probation. It was sometimes advisable to permit men to be nursed at home, and there were cases where men refused to leave, on probation owing to the financial advantage to their wives. This pension would now continue during the currency of the reception order.

Miners' pensions, said the. Minister, were to be brought under the! pensions system, and their widows would receive a pension of 17/6 weekly. Invalidity pensions would be payable in respect to illness, accident or congenital defect, at the rate of £1 weekly for the individual, 10/ additional if there was a wife, and a further 10/ for each child. Pensions for the blind would be embodied in this pension, and increased to £1. Persons under 20 capable of being mentally developed would be under the Education Department for training until they reached the pensions age. Applications received would date back to July 1 if received this month, otherwise they would date from the time the pension was granted. •

The Minister of Defence, Mr. P. Jones, who is in charge of the War Pensions Amendment Bill, stated that this would restore the cuts in pensions of dependents and soldiers. The economic pension would be increased to 25/ weekly. Widows' claims had been recognised only if the marriage took place within seven years of a soldier's discharge, hut the hill would recognise marriages for pensions purposes which took place prior to -August 30, 1936.