PENSIONS SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 15, 18 July 1923, Page 5

PENSIONS SYSTEM

REMOVAL OF ANOMALIES

DICUSSIONIN PARLIAMENT

NO LEGISLATION' THIS SESSION.

When the annual report -of the Pensions Department was presented to Parliament yesterday, there was a d.iscussion on the need for removing anomalies in the pensions system.

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wilford) said the Literal Party felt no better, work coiild be done by Parliament than to review the whole pensions system, which was full of, anomalies. v v keai'd the Prime Minister say that the widow of a superannuitant was in receipt of a pension. Widows wero supposed to live on £18 a - year which was impossible. He wanted to see a Bill • brought down by which pensions or superannuation would be placed oii a level so that the recipients might be able to keep pace with the cost of living. liiere should be a broad comprehensive codification of the pensions 'and superannuation laws by which they could fix the rate that the State should pay to an annuitant or pensioner according to the requirements, and according to fair play' and honest dealins. A Bill should be brought down this session to jut. the whole pensions system on a proper basis. EXEMPTION OF EARNINGS.

Mr. P. Fraser ("Wellington Central) said, that pensioners should be able to maintain a fair standard of living. A sum of £100,000 would not be mach ,to spend to ensure that all the widows and orphans were placed out of the fear of want. Such an expenditure .would be comparatively-small. He hopted that the exemption of earnings would be madevery considerably larger. He considered a. pension should be sufficient to enable a mother to remain at home and give proper fore to her children. It was not right that women should have to go out m the early hours of the morning to supplement their pensions. Such earnings were always taken into account in considering the amount of pensions to be paid, and that resulted in pensions being ; cut down. Mr. Fraser appealed for pensions to be made available on behalf of the children of unmarried parents. The children should not be made to suffer for irregularities of their parents, for, after all, the children should be the first care of the State. Mr. Fraser agreed with the observations of the Leader of the Opposition. '

1 The Hon. D. Buddo (Kaiapoi)' referred to the necessity for amendments to enable cases of extreme hardship to bo met, and drew attention to a number of instances of distress amongst returned soldiers who,had dependants to provide for. • It was time the Minister did something in the direction of allowing such cases to be, dealt with more widely than by the medical boards, permitting private medical practitioners, a say in matters affecting pensions for returned men. . " ■ .'

Mr. E. A. Wright supported the proposal tor a. revision of the whole peh'sions system._ but thought there -was little .possibility of anything being done during the -present short 'session. Whatever a woman could earn to supplement the pension she should "be'entitled to. Otherwise a. penalty was imposed oil thriftand laziness would be .encouraged. '-..Mr.' H. Poland (Ohinemuri) reminded the House that the Minister had < already stated .that the Government did hot intend' at present to review pensions. Yet it had time to deal with totalisator pennite. Promises had been made that . .increased pensions legislation would be introduced, but .nothing- had been done. Many of the pensions cases were a dis-' irrace to any ■Government, and he asked Pai-liamerit_ to force the Government to do eomethinp this session, particularly in the direction of increasing materially pensions of all classes, and removing anomalies. They should at least see that widows and children were provided for . as in any other 'country. - ' . ■■ BRISTLING WITH ANOMALIES:

. Mr. R. M'Keen (Wellington South)] regarded pensions, as one of the most important questions of the day. The whole pensions system was bristling, with anomalies. He maintained that widows' should be better provided ,'for' up till the time whey they might become dependent upon their children. He criticised the provision in the legislation which required an immigrant to reside twentyfive years* in the country before :he could .draw a pension, and advocated pensions for'public Works employees. There was no reason why the Government should not revise the pensions scale this session.

Mr. A. L. Monteith (Wellington East) instanced the case of a widowed mother of 63 years of age who received no more than 10s per week pension, who had been obliged .to take in boarders in order to keep her two children. He asked whether it was intended to make up the arrears jn pension as agreed to previously by Parliament. _ , -

Mr. F. J. Rolleston (Timaru) endorsed tlie remarks of previous speakers, and urged immediate revision of pensions as a remedy for tb& intolerable Hardships' borne by many pensioners. ; ■Mr. E. A. Ransom. (Pahiatua) referred to the humiliation of returned soldiers who were required to prove, before being 'granted. pensions; that their disability was due to 'war ■service. He also spoke of cases in which pensions had been reduced because there were evidences of thrift in the life of the recipients. . Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Christchurch East) justified ■ increases in pensions in the light'of'the prosperity of the country alluded to by the Prime Minister. He alleged that some old people were being denied pensions becaxise they held certain properties, while in other caseH pensions were withheld because of the person concerned exercising thrift, as was sometimes advocated in the House. The present Tensions injustices should not be allowed to continue for another year, and of all things pensions should not be brushed aside till next session. ■ UNIVERSAL PENSION.

. Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames) ; said. he believed there should be a, revision; of the pensions scheme with a view of removing anomalies. He would also', like to see the pensions liberalised, and favoured the universal pension, which Would not mean the provision of such a large amount as many people imagined. Ho also appealed for better-treatment of miners and their dependants in regard to. pensions. There should be some sympathy and elasticity in the departmental administration of the pensions system. An amending Pensions Bill should be brought down this session; .Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central) said it seemed to be ridiculous that, instead of discussing' the question of ameliorating the sufferings of poor people, the House should be considering means of easing the position of the wealthy. Pensions for the blind were urgently necessary, but that matter was being coldly and indifferently pushed aside year after year by the Government. It was thY right of every citizen when reaching a certain age to receive a pension for services rendered to the country.

-Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedm South) referred to certain anomalies in support of his contention that, pensions should be reviewed. Incidentally, he urged further assistance for the blind.

The Prime Minister: "t had claims

for £50,000 'yesterday by way of sub' 'sidy to the blind."

Mr. A., Harris (Waitemata) said the question' of .pre-war _and. post-war disability of 'soldier Applicants forrpensions should be carefully considered. Men accepted for the rigours of war service should have their claims for a- tension considerately dealt with.. Even n.' these men had defects they, had been accepted for active service, and should, therefore, not be penalised. Mariy/men were suffering from the results of'active service, hardships, but were not receiving pensions, because they had not broken down at the front. Mr. Harris urged that men:-who. had contracted V.D. f should receive the sympathetic consider- 7 ation of the Government. Many of tKose men would never 1 Have found 'themselves in. their, present plight had,it;nbt been for the fact, that they had gone to the war. •. .'■ ■' • " • '' ■ • '•" "

* ■S jl\' F;u X- B.arlra» \<3rey .Lynn) contended there was not such thing as a' widow's pension. The:paymerit made in such cases was a very weak attempt on the part of the Administration to pro-' vide for children, at a cheaper'rate than 1 the country would Tiave to -pay if it'took' sole responsibility for them.' '.He W^e'd' that the age of children for'whom pensions were payable should be "raisek :,fo" 18. It should not be necessary for-old-age pensioners to have their cases jieai-d' before, a Magistrate. . They .' could b© dealt with by the registrars "of pensions Before taxation was reduced by 'one penny they "should, see that pensions: were placed on a better' footing. - : EEGAECIED AS A'DOLiE.

Mr.. R,. P.';. Hudson. (Motueka) said that, many people looked upon the old ag« pension 'as a. dole, and, therefore, did not care about'applying for it. It was easy •,to say that, pension's .'should be made universal, but that would mean that many wealthy men would be receiving pensions. .Pensions' should .. be made a charge .on the death duties. This would remove the slur on the ''charitable dole." .A man should have to pay towards, bis life insurance premium a small sum'which could be-paid t D the State at bis death. If lie wanted'"to draw v. pension when he got into -years he could do'so. '." v .'•■'"

„ Mr. S• did'- riot agree to Mr. Hudson's objection. that a pension cast a'"slur upon the recipient He hoped the Minister would be able to infom the House that, in spite of its previous announcement, the-Govern-ment was able to see its way to brin°down a- comprehensive pensions' revision measure. The amount now paid to widows and old-age .pensioners was not sufficient to enable them to do" justice to their children:.-The.-."Art should be made-elastic, so that-pensions could-be increased to provide "for feeble-minded children and in other special, cases Xhe Minister of Defence (Hon. Sir R ■ Heaton Rhodes) said that, on looking at cases which were submitted, to Km he: W p^ 1- he ™> cohfcrol over the should first of all come loan aEr pement with the Returned Soldiers' Asso-' ciation. before the .amending War Pensions Bill was brought down. That was the reason for the ; delay. Sir Heaton mentioned • however, that' the proposals to come down in the Bill witli respect ■wfrfnw 0-6^ *€n.sions ■ fri- .soldiers 1 £fltonn mS th-ers 1 - 1V«, etc., would"cost Se.o?^ sSter bers to eM?

CONTRIBUTORY PENSIONS. '' Ppn«f ,H?" r % £ A, nd«s°n (Minister of .Pensions) said he had previously in-' • formed the House that/he was W into the pensions question. It was a bi£ Problem as it involved the ageil, the .Everyone knew that anomalies existed, but, th 9 trouble was that the moment one was lemoved another was created The S/T cdi' was, a Wiiversal pension. It would have to be a contributory pencoiin%:>cduldiiot"alc)rd M«mberer "Heai-, h e ar." '.'■"•• ■■ ' , A direct tax could be made, and every mdmdu,! would.know he had a pcS light to a if he required it. That seemed, to. him to be the only possible solution of the difficulty. L°ncrease in pensions would run the couuAtlvinson. advocated, contributory «enwons m 1883, and it had strife P h Tm tS Vy g,OOd *theme- He wished effecT tdp Vk broUght the 'ife into effect then. There .were, undoubtedly, XPPc. cf I0IJ?, .^omahes at present r?i?h % otl#r % ld *• *ad heard of 3 div ca + s, es 5n which °Id tO«P^ Wrtv te^ 6d '^l 8* I** of their froto draW l/ U" ldl'?n to enable tSlm - m fl °L d vSe;. penslons- X there was S?HI. d d<f ]t witt., ..It would beaS difficult job 'to overcome the J*eS anomalies; he hoped to be able t? do aomethmg but h/did notthmk'ie coutd be done this session.. "This Prime M;l ' Mter w^nts togo Home," Ke kM?-'and" ?*!j ; vf«.* *o make a mess of ft» vesS *f e a COnsiderable «m e "to in"But S T - * ma"^ Sn«l*»M involved "that th«aih PrO + we'"- h6 =°n<=l«ded tnat the.best that can be-done will hoover g tfe ?eCeSS- I ca^ S pensions will be increas-