Questions On Petitions

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31776, 5 September 1968, Page 1

Questions On Petitions

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, Sept. 4. Opposition speakers in Parliament today demanded to know what the Government intended to do about 16 petitions referred to it for consideration by the Social Services Committee which sought amendments to the Social Security Act on unemployment.

The petitions were presented to Parliament by several members last year and, after consideration and the hearing of submissions by the committee, were referred to the Government for consider ation.

Labour members of the committee fought to have the petitions referred to the Government for “most favourable consideration” but were forced to bow to the majority of Government members on the committee and the petitions were referred for “consideration” only. Mr N. J. King (Lab., Waitemata) was the first Labour member to raise the question, when he moved a motion deploring the “consideration” only recommendation. Mr King said the inadequacy of unemployment benefits was an urgent problem. “The Labour Party believes that there should be a complete readjustment of unemployment benefits, recognising the increased cost structure. The present benefits just do not face up to living costs,” he said. Mr W. L. Young (Nat., Miramar) said that the rate of unemployment benefits was

adequate. There had to be some inducement for people to work. The country had to recognise the fact that there were people who would take advantage of high unemployment benefits. Mr N. V. Douglas (Lab., Auckland Central) said that since the Government had re-

ceived the petitions a year ago the number of unemployed had increased by 2559 people If the Government .had beqn determined to stop the increase in unemployment it could have taken positive steps from the time it received the petitions.