WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16947, 23 September 1920, Page 7

WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE.

'encouragement of thrift. DISCUSSION IN- LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. (SPECIAL TO "TJTE PItESS.") WELLINGTON, September 22. Tho following motion moved by the Hon. Dr. Collins v.-ns to-day discussed by tho Legislative Council: "That, in the opinion of this Council, the time is ripo for ' initiating a comprehensive scheme for the purpose of further improving tho general welfare of the peo- ; p.'e, the encouragement of thrift, and tho prevention and early detection of disease." Tho mover suggested that, in order tn ensure early detection of disease, every person should ho required to submit to an annual examination up to the age of 21 ye'ars, and should thereafter he encouraged to continue the practice. All possible statistics and records or tho henltti of the people should be gathered by ilic authorities. A great wastage of infant life was going on to-day. ! Probably a means of chocking that wastage" would be to ensure that every expectant motiher was given all tho information and all the care nece-sary tor her welfare and the welfare of .the chiildA great deal might bo done to dimmish J,he number of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. He inTerrer] from the statistics available on the subject, that between ! tho ages of 5 and 15 years children Kecamo in some way very much more linble to develop the disease than they werein the first years of their lives. Probablv the increased euseoptibiMy was duo to the efferrt of such diseases as measles and whooping cough. If annual examination up to the age of 21 years was too expensive, then examination up to the nee of 1G years chculd bo substituted. The people required instruction in the importance of thrift, Dr. Collins proceeded. A small sum of money should be invested for every child at birth, and ,i record of the growth of that sum a* cnmnnnnrl interest, should be kent in a "Thrift Book." The record would servo to demonstrate to every nersnn fl'-o value of money. The sum of £16 1» 2d invested nt 5 per cent, for a newly-born child w>"ld in GO years provide a sum of £-30'"). That would serve as an old age pension. Tn the motion, the Hon. Sir John Sinclair said that he hnd been pnrti<*nlarly interested in Dr. Coll inn's references to the need for thrift. The present hiefc cost of living, he said, was a world nrcvhlem. No government was rcsonnsibi© for it. nnd no government could solve it. The position could be bettered only by increased production nnd tile practice of, economy. It appeared to him that three agencies were o.vailaWe to help in the reduction of f:he cost of living. The first was the Covernmerit, the second the Board of Trade, and Hbe third the people. It seemed clear that the Btfard of Trade Ceroid do less than either of the other two agencies, not because of any shortcomings on its rts.rt, hut for the reason that no Board of Trade conM. deal with "root ennses." More rould bo done by the ■neonle and the Government, provided that t'he people supported the Government in the carrying ont of a pnliev of nntinnnl and themselves practiced indivjdi'il economy. There wfts not much individual practice of economy to-day. On the contrary, there a tendency to lavish expenditure. w.is no "doubt that waateful exnenditure nil round to the cost of living. So far, ji*eo. ns the■pennie of thw country, to ifoe of world 'production, th*>v woiild n/Vl f,o the mat of Hying. No one would dream of at., this t.i'*"ft f.hpt there shonT,! \x> n nrlne effort. All til**, was rPOii'Vet! was steady irvTuaf.rv..flrt<l an. of the strikes, «ithor «lirer*f; or inflirent, thni were doiicr fitir-ii crrievoiiß to industry tedfiv. Thp'e mirht bn danirer alliead, and Zealand wnuH do ttpll to iji*eVfiT*. The country 7wd not fntm'ded nnon t*e sure of increased proflnef-ion. Some of the prices obtn.iner! for Npw Zealonr? nirKruew were very hiith, aji/1 tbe*e might be s> fall. Menev ■was tiaHitenmff. ni«>mTiloyment r-ig Toominsr no in the Old The lf>j>fj settlement tftat hal talcen. within tlio last few years might m.nke further heavv •plnJmß unon country's iwnnroes. He honed that, the returned soldier on the fand would be prospertmn, Txvause fhoy deserved to* ho so, but unless nTiees were maintained thev woril(3 need further flieip. The ecoMOTnii? effpH of an all-round fall in prices would be ti in<"rotißO pronortionntolr thfi already hearv indebtedness. If the r»rw»nt Penersotion decided to tw«s on its iidebtftdnew +o those who ■woTiH eomo after, it -would do so with tbe knowledge that for many y»arq to corno the resources of New Zealand woT»"d not be so buoyant as they were to-'l«*v. .. Tbe> .debate wna adiotirned npon the motion of tihe Hon. J. B Gow.