SOCIAL SECURITY

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 296, 10 September 1938, Page 12

SOCIAL SECURITY

Legislation Passes Final Stages LATE SITTING OF HOUSE Nearly a month of intermittent discussion on the Government’s proposals for national superannuation and health services came to an end in the House of Representatives early yesterday morning, when the Social Security Bill was put through its final stages and passed. The measure has now to be approved by the Legislative Council and then to receive the Royal Assent, but its provisions will not come into operation until April 1 next year. The Bill was introduced in the House on August 12 and the second reading debate commenced the following week. This discussion extended over six sitting days, and then a start was made with the detailed consideration of the Bill in committee. This process was accelerated by the taking of urgency on Wednesday and again on Thursday, and that night’s late sitting enabled the most important measure of the session to be disposed of. Toward the end of the committee stage early yesterday morning various Government amendments which had been introduced earlier in the sitting were read into the Bill, and then the formality of the third reading was observed. Arguments against the Bill, chiefly on financial grounds, were summed up by the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Adam Hamilton, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara), Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Opposition. Rlccarton), and Mr. A. C. A. Sexton (independent, Franklin). The final reply on behalf of the Government was delivered by the Minister of Finance, Hon. W. Nash.

The only divisions taken during the passage of the Bill through all its stages were on six Opposition amendments covering the financial and taxation aspects of the proposals, and on six closure motions put forward by the Government in order to curtail lengthy debates on individual clauses.. When Mr. Nash resumed his seat at the conclusion of his third reading speech he received a round of applause from Government members, and the Bill was then read a third time and passed without division. The House rose at 3.10 o’clock. READ FIRST TIME IN UPPER HOUSE The Social Security Bill was received from the House of Representatives and read a first time in the Legislative Council yesterday. The commencement of the second rending debate was set down for Monday.