INCREASE IN PENSIONS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21940, 14 November 1936, Page 16

INCREASE IN PENSIONS

KETENTIOK OP SACK PAY ACTION OP HOSPITAL BOARDS CRITICISED The retention by the authorities controlling public hospitals and kindred institutions of the whole of the one month’s back pay of the increased oldage pension of pensioners who are inmates, was severely criticised by a deputation of social workers which interviewed the Minister for Pensions (the Hon. W. E. Parry) yesterday morning. The speakers represented that several of the pensioner inmates of the public hospitals were bitterly disappointed that at least some of the amount of the increase in the pension had not been paid to them by the hospital boards. Many of the pensioners had personal obligations outside of me institutions to meet. Others wished to buy odds and ends to make their stay in hospital more comfortable, and they felt resentment that the authorities had not made the payment, particularly as it was the opinion of. Parliament, when passing the increase in the pensions, that the pensioners in hospital would be able to enjoy the increase in the same way as all other pensioners. The deputation urged that the Minister arrange with the Hospital Boards’ Association to consider the request, in the hope that the amount of the increased pension might be paid to the inmates affected. Replying to the deputation, the Minister said that a similar request had been made to him recently in Auckland. He had discussed it with the secretary of the Hospital Board there, and gathered that the amount of the retrospective pay of the increased pensio'n was being kept intact pending consideration by the Hospital Boards’ Association to decide what should be done with the money.

"I regret that I have had no further communication, but no doubt it will come later,” he said. “It is correct that when Parliament was considering the Pensions Bill it was felt that the hospital authorities would resolve to make a grant of the retrospective pay to the pensioner inmates. It is solely a matter within the scope of the boards. I am hopeful that some arrangement satisfactory to the boards and to the pensioners who have the misfortune to be in the institutions will be come to.”