PENSIONS AND HOUSING

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 148, 26 June 1925, Page 9

PENSIONS AND HOUSING

SOLICITOUS MEMBERS.

No inconsiderable portion of the numerous questions of which notice was given in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon had reference to the questions of pensions and housing. Most of these came'from the Labour benches, and were in the nature of- requests as to whether tie Government intended to introduce legislation this session to increase old'age, blind, and widows' pensions' and to provide invalidity penMf- %'• % PW (Auckland Central) wants the old age pension to be increased to 25s per week. ... *; S..G; Smith (Taranaki) inquired whether the Minister of Pensions had don«_ anything during the recess towards the introduction of a universal pension, fu H. Atmore (Nelson) asked whei£ er C j age Pensions would be raised to 17s 6d per week irrespective of property or income; also whether widows' pensions would be raised to the level of the 1918 epidemic widows' pensions. _ The State Advances. Department came m for attention from several members. First of all, Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch East) asked whether the Minister of finance would make a s^ foment tor publication showing how far the Department was successful in satisfying applicants who had applied for loans eighteen months ago. . . _ Mr. R: M'Keen (Wellington South) desired to know how long workers would have to wait for loans after making application. ■ ' . . The Minister of Labour ia to be asked by Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) as to whether the Rent Restriction legislation will be continued, and Mr L. M'llvride (Napier) seeks to have such legislation consolidated in order to avoid confusion, as he says that at present it is very conflicting. Mr. Fraser also stated that he would ask the Prime Minister whether the Government would co-operate with the City Council in providing houses for people requiring homes in Wellington. Concern for the welfare of tenants at Petone, whose houses have been taken for railway extension purposes, was expressed by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. T. M. Wilford). Mr. Wilford gave notice that he intends to ask the Minister of Railways if ho will send notices to people upon whom eviction notices have been served, informing them that they will not be disturbed until other accommodation has been found for them.