'KEEN RESENTMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 128, 2 June 1938, Page 11

'KEEN RESENTMENT.

SECURITY SCHEME.

SINGLE WOMEN'S CASE.

NO PROVISION MADE. »By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, this day. In her addrcse at the annual meeting of the Society for Protection of Women and Children, the president, Dr. McKinnon, taid there was much to criticise in the Government's proposed security scheme. The scheme could hardly be called a superannuation one, being merely increased taxation to enable higher old age pensions to be paid.

In the first place it was proposed to provide for a widow, even without children, from the age of 4.'>, but no provision appeared to have been made for ciingle women, who in a large proportion of cases, hadj sacrificed their chances of marriage and happiness in order to care for their parents or invalid relatives. Now in the new scheme they saw themselves taxed still more heavily in order to contribute to the upkeep at the age of 45 of their more fortunate sisters, who had been sheltered and provided for by their hutsbande, and, worse still, for the maintenance of able-bodied men, who, in their youth, had all the bestpaid positions open to them,, and could, if they had not spent freely in racing, gambling and drink, have made much better provision for their future than any woman could have done with her smaller earnings. It appeared to be a case of the same old injustice to women thnt had existed throughout the ages.

For these two reasons single women were resenting the scheme fiercely. Instead of the scheme being one to lift fear and depression from their hearts it was going to add to their burdens throughout life, and meant still greater sacrifices of whatever pleasures might come their way.

The slogan of the Labour party was: "Spend froply: don't save and we will keep ySu in old a;re," .but how many citizens with prido and self-respect could be content to spend freely all their lives so that they could have a paltry 30/ a week from the Government, in Mifiir older ape? They would contribute joyfully if they knew that no matter what they eared thev would draw superannuation in addition at the ajro of 55 or 00. which wn* early enough considering , ' tbs>t an invalid pension was also in operation.