WIDOWS AND WAR WORK

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23942, 8 May 1943, Page 6

WIDOWS AND WAR WORK

EFFECT ON PENSIONS PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO LEGISLATION (0.R.) OAMARU, May 6. The present position whereby widows with dependent children and in receipt of widows’ pensions are debarred from earning a reasonable amount above that of their pensioneven though engaged in war workmay shortly be rectified. The Hon. A. H. Nordmeycr (Minister of Health) is moving in the matter with a view to legislative amendment when Parliament resumes. He gave this information in a letter to the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce, which decided to support the Minister by way of additional representations to the Minister of Social Security, the Hon. W. E. Parry, and to the leaders of the National Party and the Democratic Labour Party. “So far no representations have been made that widows should be allowed to earn more than that at present allowed,” stated the Minister. “I am informed, however, by the chairman of the Social Security Commission that he is prepared, in a case where work of national importance is being done, to drop the benefit and to allow it to be reinstated when the work being undertaken ceases. Under no circumstances could both the widows’ benefit and full wages be allowed at the same time.” The Minister also intimated that he was taking the matter up with a view to ascertaining, when Parliament resumed, whether something could be done to increase the amount of £7B, which a widow was permitted to earn over and above her pension benefit. The question was introduced at the monthly meeting of the chamber by Mr D. S. Bain, who instanced cases of widows at present engaged in work of national importance. Their pensions were 25s a week, with 10s • for each child. In the case of a widow with two children the maximum amount permitted to be earned over and above the pension was £7B per annum, which made the weekly wage only £3 15s, and with tax off, as on £7B, a net sum of £3 11s 3d. This, he said, was the total sum allowable, otherwise pensions were “cut.” By way of contrast with old-age pensioners. Mr Bain said the latter were allowed to have an income of £4 weekly.