"FREE MILK SHOW."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 207, 2 September 1938, Page 11

"FREE MILK SHOW."

OPPOSITION TILTS. UNIVERSAL PENSION. . WILL RECIPIENTS PAT LEVY 7 (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Opposition member*, during committee consideration of the Social Security Bill in the House of Representatives, could not resist havhig a-'humorous tilt at the proposed universal pension commencing at flO in 1040. The Nationalist Leader, Mr. Hamilton, described it as an afterthought put in at the very last moment, but he suggested it was a very humble beginning for a Government which made such bold promises. "Thiß clause," said Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford), "fills me with gloom because I cannot draw full superannuation till I am ninety-two. Stili," he added with an assumption of cheerfulness, "I am buoyed up with the hope that in 1040 I will get 3/10 a week. Talk about soup kitchens and clothe* drives in the old daysl Why, we never got down to that." Mr. G. W. Forbes (National, Hurunui): It is a free milk scheme. Mr. Nash, Minister in charge of the bill, asked the critics to remember all of the other benefits and the fact that universal superannuation would eventually be £78 annually, while under the age benefits provision in another clause there were pensions for those qualifying at the age of sixty. "Humble as it might be," he concluded, "even a last thought, as suggested by the Opposition Leader, it is there and is hurting the Opposition because it is there. _ Sir Alfred Ransom (National, Pahtotua): Will these pensioners aease to pay contributions when they get superannuation? The Minister replied that while pensions were not subject to tax it cou not be suggested that a man with an income of £1000 could avoid Ration upon it because he was" also entitled a pension of £10. "Well it is the most extraordinary, most absurd thing ever introduced y any Government/' declared Sir Aiir Ransom. ' _ • It was suggested by Mr. -A. • Sexton, who throughout the commit proceedings had been putting ff 1 ™ questions to the Minister, that * easy to see how this feature ™ e . . came about. The Nationalists kicked up such a row in the early stag _ about the Government's promises of universal pensions that when the Gove. _ ment got its scheme framed up wi nothing there which was real universa superannuation they had to insert * after thought. He would vote for it t , as a homeopathic dose of superannuation without the means teat.