SOCIAL SECURITY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 198, 17 May 1940, Page 11

SOCIAL SECURITY

Reasons For Compilation Of Register

SURVEY OF POPULATION OF DOMINION

Reasons for the compilation of a social security register were given by the Minister of Manpower, Mr. Wilson, in a statement issued yesterday. He said that ever since it assumed office, the present Government had felt the need for authoritative and up-to-date information regarding the industrial, economic and sociological construction of the population of the Dominion. Uns need bad been accentuated by the implementation of its programme of social legislation and, latterly, by the international situation. Mr. Wilson said that though it was generally known that the Government recently decided on the compilation of a social security register and that regulations in that behalf had been gazetted, it would appear that the scope and objects of the undertaking were not universally understood and appreciated. The main purpose of the register was twofold —first, to enable the Government and its advisers to forecast intelligently the probable trend of commitments in the shape of social benefits; and secondly, that a survey may be made of the man- and womeupower of the Dominion to facilitate the efficient planning of industry and production and the proper utilization of the resources available. It might be asked why the necessary information was not available from the results of the 1936 census. There were a number of reasons why this should be so, and these included the following: No personal records from the census were preserved (and if they were, they would be looked upon as strictly confidential) ; the information was now more than four years old; and the census inquiry was not designed to meet the requirements now envisaged. “The compilation of the social security register has been commenced,” said Mr. Wilson, “and a staff is engaged in dealing with the registration forms as they come to hand. These, however, as yet constitute but a small proportion of the total expected (approximately 1,000,000), and it would appear that a certain amount of congestion is inevitable toward the end of the registration period, which closes on May 31. “The necessary forms, which are attached to the familiar form for the declaration of income, are available at all post offices. The public are urged to discharge their obligations in the matter at the earliest, possible date. All persons, both male and female, who have attained the age of 16 years, and who are ordinarily resident in New Zealand, are required to register, whether or not they are liable for payment of the social security contribution or of the registration fee.”