PASSAGE MAY BE DELAYED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22336, 25 February 1938, Page 14

PASSAGE MAY BE DELAYED

Government Plan Of Superannuation DESIRE TO TEST PUBLIC OPINION (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, ■ February 24. There is now a fairly persistent report in Parliamentary circles that the proposed national health and superannuation scheme may get no further during the coming session than its introduction to Parliament as definite legislation. Ministers, of course, will not comment on such a suggestion, but it is accepted generally about Parliament Buildings as being very likely. The Government is obviously satisfied with the progress made in shaping the health and superannuation schemes, but the questions involved are so complex that in the best-informed circles it is believed that the legislation may only be introduced this session and not proceeded with until Parliament meets later in the year for its final round of business before the elections. There are several factors which support the belief that the Government dpes not wish to hurry in dealing with such highly important social legislation. For one thing, the illness of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) has meant his absence from many Cabinet meetings, and, as leader of the Government, he must, of course, give personal attention to the framing of legislation to which he himself is personally., pledged, It is understood that the superannuation proposals are far advanced, but that various important points .of policy have still to be ironed out in shaping the health insurance scheme. If both superannuation and health in-, surance are to be financed through 1 a combined tax or levy, it now seems reasonable to assume that one scheme cannot proceed without the other. It is also stated that the Government is anxious to place concrete proposals before the country in order to study the general public reaction. The general anticipation is that the health and insurance schemes can. be financed only by contributions by way of levy or taxation, and the belief is largely held that the Government would be acting wisely if it gave the people sufficient time to study the full details of its proposals before it proceeds to put them into operation. If all matters affecting health insurance and superannuation are brought to finality within the next month,or two, the Government could then introduce a bill covering the main aspects of its policy and leave it for public examination and comment, with a view to reshaping it - : invdetail, if necessary, when Parliament meets for its final session later "in the year.