National Super.

Press, 4 October 1982, Page 24

National Super.

Sir,—"The Press" of September 21 reports David Wills in the Nurses Society’s Nursing Forum as saying that the National Superannuation age should be raised to 65. The continual attack on National Superannuation by State employees is unwarranted because (1) their own superannuation is. excessively high and is subsidised by the taxpayer. (2) The State service is grossly overstaffed, politically pampered and protected, thus seriously hampering New Zealand’s economic recovery. Ob-

viously State employees should be the last to attack National Superannuation. Far better if Mr Wills had attacked (a) the judicial legislation on alcohol abuse, which permits at an astronomical cost, thousands of hospital beds to be occupied after alcohol induced accidents, (b) The economically inefficient judicial penal system which provides an average $18,250 cost per annum of keeping a prison inmate when only an average bread line $4264 (taxpaid) is paid to National Superannuitants. Also, with dwindling youth job opportunities people should be encouraged to retire at 60. — Yours, etc.. P. S. WILSON. September 27, 1982.