OLD AGE PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 195, 15 May 1936, Page 10

OLD AGE PENSIONS

Australia’s Attitude To Reciprocity

MINISTER’S COMMENT

“A glance at our files shows that this question of reciprocal pensions to operate between New Zealand and Australia has been dead for a long time,” remarked the Minister of Pensions, Hon W. E Parry, yesterday, when his attention was drawn to a news cablegram from Canberra on the subject. “We must, of course, appreciate the fact that this very important matter has been raised in the Commonwealth Parliament,” said the Minister. “Notwithstanding the answer given by the Federal Treasurer —that to pass legislation similar to that which is among the New Zealand Statutes to-day the financial burden would be too heavy—l should not have any diffidence in asking the Prime Minister to revive the matter with tiie Australian Government to see if some working arrangement about reciprocal pensions could be come to between the two sister countries. “There has been a lot of half-hearted-ness shown in the negotiations made. Since the New Zealand Parliament passed its legislation for reciprocal pensions time and again the question was put up to Australia to do the same. Always the matter seems to have been shelved. I feel that if we can press the Australian Government in the right way—show how beneficial the legislation would be to both countries—something might be done.”