HOMEMAKERS’ WAGE SUGGESTED

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33516, 23 April 1974, Page 6

HOMEMAKERS’ WAGE SUGGESTED

(N.Z. Press Assn —Copyrightf

WELLINGTON, April 22

A wage equivalent to the unemployment benefit should be paid to a person who looked after a dependant in the home, Mrs C. M. Wilson said in a submission to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Women’s Rights.

The payment, which could be called a “homemaker’s wage” should be paid to one person in a family who looked after children, an old person, or someone who was physically or mentally sick.

Mrs Wilson, a housewife with two pre-school child-

ren, was making the submission on her own behalf but said it was endorsed by the National Organisation of Women.

Although the main recipients of the homemakers’ wage would be house-! wives, it should not be paid because the recipients were dependants of other wage earners or because of any family or sexual relationship with the person for whom they cared. The payment would be for services given to the community at large.

The committee chairman (Mr N. V. Douglas) said the committee would probably' recommend that the suggestion become the subject of a committee of inquiry to find out what the scheme would cost and exactly what would be involved.