FOOTPRINTS IN SOCIAL BETTERMENT

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 307, 22 September 1943, Page 6

FOOTPRINTS IN SOCIAL BETTERMENT

Ideas and schemes for the social betterment of humanity date far into the mists of history. Their footprints can he traced back over the sands of time in the records of their period. Those records reveal the persistent ideal in the minds of past generations for the tempering of social hardships, and incidentally constitute an answer to the extravagant claims so frequently made by Ministers and Government candidates in the present election campaign. They seek to convey the idea that they have been the pioneers ui the spheie ot social betterment. Such, of course, is not the case. We had okLage and other pensions and benefits long before a Labour l aity exeicised' any power in the politics of New Zealand. Right throughout the past 60 years the movement has been progressive. Take the case of pensions, for example. It was. not Labour s that was the first word in social pension schemes, nor is it likely to be the last The question was first discussed back in the eighties, but it was not until 1898, when the colony’s progress and prosperity was then on a more assured basis, that legislation to make old-age pensions operative was enacted. This was during the regime of f'e Seldon Administration. The .full pension then was only flB pel annum, but money was worth more in those days and the concessions then granted were what the Seddon Administration, by no means niggardly in the matter of State expenditure, considered the limit of financial piac- . by sue-1 cecding administrations, but always subject to the limitations | by the means available. In 1905 the basic rate of the old-age pension xvas raised to £26 per annum,-while the means conditions weie eased T?ie age qualification was reduced by the Ward Government in 19 1 from 65 years to 55 for women and 60 for men,. with {ami y icsponsibilities, mid two years later this condition was still furthei hbeiah/cd by the first Reform Government under Mr. Massey. During M Massey’s long term of office amendments extending previous benefits were made to various pensions schemes then in operation I the case of widows’ pensions, for example, the annuities granted unde this head increased as the result of further benefits at intemls fiom 788, annual value £14,863, in 1912, to 3043, annual value £207 09 m LL~ The Reform Government also was responsible foi the mt! oduetron o Miners’ Pensions (1915), Police Pensions (1919), Epidemic Pensions (1918 and in addition to the War Pensions, Economic Pensions for soldiers suffering disabilities. Following the end of the Massey teg progress in social betterment was maintained. The yeai 17-0. w Sample, saw under the Coates Government the appearance ot the Family Allowances Act. f The foregoing facts trace in bare outline the piogiess of huniani tarian impulse in State legislation, irrespective of party. ™ ernment in its time can claim to have made its cont . advance, guided in its course of action by the gropung on the part of public.opinion of the State’s responsibility foi the social betterment of its citizens.