NATIONAL WELFARE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 309, 23 September 1920, Page 6

NATIONAL WELFARE

a campaign against DISEASE URGENT NEED FOR THRIFT DEBATE IN UPPER HOUSE The following motion, moved by the Hon. Dr. Collins, was yesterday discussed by the Legislative Council: That in .the opinion of this Council tho time is ripe for initiating a comprehensive scheme for the purpose of further improving the general welfare of the people, the en couragement of thrift and the prevention and early detection of disease. The mover suggested that in order to ensure early detection of disease every person should be required to submit to au annual examination up to the age of twenty-one years, and should thereafter be encouraged to continue the practice. Tho examinations should be made on the birthday of each subjcct, so that the birthday should become the "health, day." All possible statistics and records of the health of -the people should be gathered by the authorities. A great wastage of infnnt life was going on to-day. Probably a means of checking .that wastage would be to ensure time every expectant mother was given all the information and all the care necessary for her welfare and the welfare of the child. A great deal might be done to diminish the number of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis. He inferred from the statistics available on the subject that between tho ages.of five and fifteen children became in somo way; very much more liable to develop the disease than they were in the firet five yeais of their jives. Probably tho increased susceptibility was due to the effect of such disease as measles and whoopingcough. If annual examination up to the age of twenty-one was too expensive, then examination to the age of sixteen should be substituted. Dr. Collins spoke of the value of early detection in mitigating the ravages of cancer, heart disease, and mental disease. The people required instruction in the importance of thrift, Dr. Collins proceeded. A small sum of money should be invested for every child at birth, and a record of the growth of that svim at compound interest should be kept in a "thrift book." The record would serve to demonstrate to every person the value of money. .£l6 Is. 2d. invested at five per cent, for a newly-born child would in sixty years provide a sum of ,£3OO that would serve as an old-age pension. The High Cost of Living. In seconding the motion, Sir John Sinclair said that he had been particularly interested in-Dr. references to the need for thrift. The cost of living could bo reduced only by increased production and the practice of economy. It appeared, to him that tbree agencies were available to help in the reduction of the cost of living. The first was the Government, the second the Board of Trade, and tho third the people. It seemed clear that the Board of Trade could do less than either of the other two agencies, not because of any shortcomings on its part, but for the reason that no Board of Trade could deal with "root causes." ' More could be done by _ tlie people and the Government provided that the people supported the Government in the carrying out of a policy of national economy, and themselves practised individual economy. National Economy. Few should to-day require to be convinced of the need for national economy. The Prime Minister had emphasised that need in replying, to deputation after deputation thai; had waited ( upon him with reciuests for tho expenditure of public moneys. Mr. Massey bad given a warning that there might bo a. fall m the prices that New Zealand product was realising. It should be remembered how great wa? the country's ludejjted* ness, and- how further borrowing, must further inflate the currency, and so raise the cost of living still higher. New Zealand and tho Mothor Country were by far the most heavily indebted, per head of population, of tho countries comprised in the British Commonwealth. This was not a good time for the expenditure of public moneys, because the cost oi labour and materials was exceedingly high, Individual Thrift. There was not much individual practice of economy to-day. On tho oontrary, there was 'a tendency to lavish expenditure. There was uo doubt that wasteful expenditure added all round to tho cosl of living. So far, also, as the people of this country contributed to tho lessen; ing of world production they would adc to the cost of living. No one woulc dream of suggesting at this time thai ! there should be undue effort. All thai was required was steady industry .anc an avoidance of tho strikes, either direel or indirect, that were doing such grievous harm to industry to-day. If the country was determined to do what i' could to deflate the currency, it must make a beginning as soon as possibli with tho reduction of the National Debt New Zealanders must not take it fo: granted that tho war part of our Na tional Debt was to be ' ? a permanent fix ture." Other countries liad maelc abe ginning. Tho Mother Country had re paid 420 millions—a truly splendid per formance. Danger Ahead, There might bo danger ahead, am , New Zealand would do well to prepare ' The country had not yet founded itsel upon the sura basis of increased produc tion. Some of the prices obtained fo New Zealand produce were very high and there might bo a fall. Money wa tightening. Unemployment wa6 loommi up in tho Old Country. He read i warning note in the taxation proposal now before Parliament. It would seen that those charged with the responsibil ity of providing revenue had misgiving as to whether there might not lie a seji ous shrinkage in tho incomes that pro duced so large a part of -the revenue; ant with prudence they were broadening th< basis of taxation. The land settlemen that had taken place within the last fei years might make further heavy claim upon the country's resources. He hop cd thnt the returned soldiers on th land would bo prosperous, because the; [ deserved to ]». But unless prices wer maintained they would need furtbei i help. , The debate was adjourned on the mo tion of the Hon. J. B. Gow. protecting The boys • AMENDMENTS TO THE APPRENs TICE BILL. [ Amendments proposed by tho Minis ter of Agriculture in the Master ani , Apprentice Amendment Bill givo addi tional. protection to lads who may b [ brought from Britain as apprentices 1; J Now Zealand farmers. The apprentice , sliip is to be for a period of ■ not les than threo years or more than fiv ' years, and shall not be terminated b; [ the apprentice attaining twenty year J of age. Tho indenture is to state th , minimum nmount of wages to l>e pah to the apprentice during the first yeai 1 The wage paid after tho first year is b !* be the wage usually paid on farms t ' toys of like age and capacity. the original Bill embodied the pena clauses of the main Act, which ver framed half a century or more ago These ckuses nrovide that an nppren ; tico who offends, against tho tonus o ' his indenture may be taken before tw' | justices of tho peace and ecntenced t ' solitary confinement in prison for ■ period not exceeding three days, an ap [ prentice who leaves his master duriiij his Apprenticeship may be required t \ servo the lost time when he is found k The Minister has omitted these clauses ' and substituted a new clause provldin (1) that an apprentice guilty of bread of duty, discbcdienoe or 111-behnvlou may lie taken before justices, who ma; reduce his wai;es by not more than one ; half for a period not exceeding tw > months; (2) an apprentice who leave - iiis employment miy b» arrested, ani - in addition to reduction of wage ma; ~be sent back to his employer's resi • . dence in custody; (3). on apprentice wh • refuses or neglects to submit vo du - control may bo taken before two jii l l.iees, who may order thnt the in.ien - ture shall bo cancelled and the appren tico sent back to England,