OPPOSITION VIEW

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 271, 12 August 1938, Page 12

OPPOSITION VIEW

Government’s Social Security Plan

REPORT BY MEMBERS OF COMMITTEE

More Information Needed

INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

The attitude toward the Government’s social security proposals of the three Opposition members of Parliament who were members of the special Parliamentary committee which examined those proposals is expressed in a report which was issued by them yesterday. The t eport is signed by Mr. S. G. Holland (Christchurch North), the Hon. T. G. Cobbc (Orona) and Mr. 11. S. S. Kyle (Riccarton), and formed the subject matter of Mr. Holland’s speech in the House of Representatives last night.

The opinions of the Opposition members on the various aspects of the Government’s proposals are summarised in the following recommendations :— General. As it is essential to a proper consideration of the Government’s proposals that it should be elearly established (a) That the income necessary to support the expenditure proposed is well within the taxable capacity of the people: and (b) that the national income will, in future years, rise sufficiently to support the steadily increas-ing-costs; and as no such evidence has been given before the committee, 1 we do not consider it wise to embark on these costly schemes in the absence of such necessary information. Health Service. In view of the evidence presented, we have come to the conclusion that a portion of the population have not at present available to them an adequate medical service, nor are they able to make provision for such service. Among tbe.se are the aged and the infirm, who are in most, need of medical care. In addition, there is a further section of the community • which, while able to meet the expense of minor sickness, is unable to pay for the expense of serious illness involving hospital treatment, operations, or specialist and consul tu nt services. We therefore commend for these people: A complete health service without charge, such service to include the following services:—General practitioner, surgical (operations), home nursing, pharmaceutical (medicines and appliances), consultant and specialist, laboratory and radiology, hospital and ambulance, maternity, physiotherapy and massage, deutal, almoner service. This would*entail no dislocation of the present friendly society system, and it would not prevent the inauguration of voluntary group insurance schemes which have proved of considerable value in other countries, nor would it disorganise the medical profession. Prevention of Diseti.se.

We are struck with the fact that there is a complete absence from the Government’s proposals of any provision for the prevention of disease, the improvement in. the health of the nation, or the investigation into the cause of disease—especially those complaints in -which the incidence is much too high in New Zealand. After provision has been made for a full health scheme to be made available to the people to whom we have already referred, it is our opinion that further extension of the health services of the community should be in the direction of preventing disease and removing its causes. Such a purpose could be served by the establishment of a competent advisory body to inform the Government on such matters as :—

(1) The nutrition of the people. (2) An education campaign in the direction of more healthy living. (3) The co-ordination of all voluntary organisations and State activities, having for their objective the improved health of the people. (4) Tbe best means of attacking the needlessly high incidence of common conditions, as for example, dental decay and goitre, thereby raising tbe general standard of physical llmcss of the nation's youth population. Superannuation Scheme. We strongly support the principle of superannuation, and recommend that a universal compulsory superannuation scheme be inaugurated. based, on the following principles:— (1) That every person making direct contributions to the fund shall be entitled to benefit, without any “means test” or other qualification. (2) Those persons, such as State employees and others in private superannuation schemes, who have made provision, at least as adequate as provided in the State scheme, shall l>e exempt from any compulsion to subscribe to the State scheme. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES Suggestion Of Absorption “The Government’s social security proposals will be the death knell of the friendly societies,” said Mr. 11. S. S. Kyle (Opposition, Ricearton) during the debate in the House of Representatives last night on the report of the Parliamentary committee which investigated the proposals. The friendly societies, said Mr. Kyle, were very disturbed because they feared that they were to be absorbed by the State scheme. These societies were already giving benefits far in excess of those proposed by the Government, and at much less cost. Most of the people who contributed to the friendly soeieties-would have to contribute to the State scheme as well and receive nothing in return.

Mr. Kyle said that the member for Dunedin West, Dr. D. G. McMillan, was entirely out of step with the medical profession. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance had asked the English actuary, Mr. G. H. Maddox, to compile figures on the basis of a national income of £150,000.000, but it was very doubtful if the Dominion would be able to maintain that.