TIME PAYMENT IN N.Z.

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27987, 6 June 1956, Page 8

TIME PAYMENT IN N.Z.

BUYING OF LUXURIES "OVERDONE”

DAME HILDA ROSS’S CRITICISM

(Neu Zeam.ua Association) AUCKLAND. June 5.

Dame Hilc?a Ross. Minister of Social Welfare, told a meeting of 4CO women tn the Mount Eden Presbyterian Hall tod=y tnat New Zealanders were “overdoind” the bpying erf luxuries by time payment. She also reaffirmed “overdoing” the buying of luxuries by not work.

“I know I am sticking my neck out eg; in. because so much business is founded on time payment—but people should not commit themselves too much on this system.” said Dame Hilda Ross. “It is wrong for young married people to try to furnish their entire home by time payment.” Dame Hilda Ross said that today tnnay New Zealand families were committing themselves too much on hirepurchase agreements. She added: “I know of people who have become ill find unable to work. Then the furniture for which they have half paid is taken away from them.” Nowadays everyone needed wall-to-wall carpeting, a refrigerator, washing machine, and Venetian blinds as soon es they were married. This was a serious mistake.

“I know it is terrible to attack this system, but I have yet to be convinced that there is any happier life than thrift, saving and paying for what you buy,” she added. She urged young couples to do without many household luxuries until they could afford to buy them outright. “The real pleasure is in saving up for refrigerators and washing machines,” she said. Married Women and Work

Dame Hilda Ross said that she had been engulfed by a sea of correspondence since she had said that married women should not leave their homes and go out to work. “I have been in trouble lately over this, but I am now saying it again,” she said.

A woman's place was still in the home, so that children should always have their to tend to their ■wants. Twenty years ago married women had kept a home together and brought un a family on £3 a week without going out to work. There was no reason whv they should not be able to do sn today, she said. “As long as I have any influence I am going to try to keep married women at home with their children,” Dame Hilda Ross added. She said that many young girls and boys had been “behaving so badly” because of poor home backgrounds and too much money to spend. Sh*> had recentlv visited the fevercargill Borstal Institution and seen one of Hamilton’s “demo - gang” learning simple arithmetic.