SOCIAL PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 18, 22 January 1937, Page 10

SOCIAL PROBLEMS

NEW ZEALAND METHODS

INVESTIGATOR ARRIVES

AMERICAN STUDY

Formerly it was said that New Zealand in its social legislation led the world; and evidence of the importance with which other countries in the world today regard the activities of the Labour Government in this country is given by the presence in the Dominion of Mr. Porter R. Lee, head of the New York School of Social Work (states the "Auckland Star"). Faced with serious social problems, the United States Government is likely to undertake an extended programme of aid to depressed groups; and since this involves a radical change of policy from the past, when such aid in America . was afforded by voluntary efforts, it has been thought important to study the methods of countries where the Governments have been accustomed to be the medium through which social help is given. Thus America may learn something from the methods of New Zealand.

Mr. Lee, accompanied by his wife, arrived from America by the Aorangi on Monday. He will be in Auckland for a few days in the course of his investigations, after which he will leave for Wellington, Christchurcli, and possibly Dunedin. He sails for Australia on February 16. Mr. Lee has been given special facilities by the Government for examining New Zealand's methods of social relief, and also of coping with the unemployment problem. PURPOSE OF NEW YORK SCHOOL. He explained that the New York school was an institution for training social workers, laymen in matters of public health, probation officers, and Bed Crass officials. At the start the school had been affiliated with the Columbia University, but recently that affiliation had been a little vague. He thought, however, that the school would again be affiliated with some unt versity. That wSs the customary practive in America. "We have almost no provision fot Government provision for the poor anc 'disadvantaged groups,"' he said, explaining the method in force in Americj for dealing with social problems whict had been thrown prominently before the world by the depression. "W< have our Poor Relief laws, buL the; have not been much of a factor in th< situation. Our practice has been t< develop a number and diversity of volun i tary organisations. New Zealand ha ■ been experimenting with social legislc I tion, and has been tackling the probler through the Government, while w have been dealing with it from th other angle, through voluntary means. When the depression came, howevei his country, he said, to use his ow: words, had "to sit up and take notice. Both the Federal (or Central) Goven ment and the State Governments ha to develop a scheme to cope with a unparalleled situation. The first an obvious problem had been unemplo; ment. For almost the first time in i' history, the American Federal Goveri ment had put up money for a specii purpose. In a number of cases mone had been found to help in a case < national disaster, like a flood. "And a these precedents were rolled up in _ parcel," Mr. Lee added, "and presented to the Government as a reason for doing something similar in this case." MAJOR AMERICAN SCHEME. The present Administration, after it had properly instituted its relief scheme, hart decided that it was going to work out a comprehensive plan for national social security. Mr. Roosevelt. he added, had been returned to power with such a majority that he had been able to establish a group of his o%vn selection to investigate the question. This group had been presented a report, recommending the establishment of old age pensions, unemployment income, in which there would be considerable Federal control, and infant welfare. The old age pensions were to be entirely administered by the Federal Government while the hands of the State Governments were to be strengthened in the matter of infant welfare. The idea, Mr. Lee added, was to secure some form of in-: surance for all of these. The plan for unemployment income had been adopted, but it had not been declared constitutional; and some of the social workers in America were worried about its reception by the Courts. The Supreme Court in America interprets the Constitution. Giving details of this unemployment plan, Mr. Lee said that there was to be a tax on each employer of labour 'of 3 per cent, on his wages bill. To that there were certain exceptions which were not important compared with the major theme. In a State where there was an unemployment income law listed, the employer received a rebate of 90 per cent., the remaining 10 per cent, being held by the Federal Government to cover administration costs. IS LAW CONSTITUTIONAL?

"In a State where there is no unemployment law, the tax goes into what in New Zealand would be the Consolidated Fund. In such States the money so raised is not used for un employment purposes. The Federal law was passed as an incentive to those States without an unemployment law to provide themselves with one. The question now is xvhether the Federal Government has the right to tax for a special purpose, and even if 1 did, whether it would still have that right if the taxpayers did not receive which was going to occupy his attention while in New Zealand was the extent to which voluntary efforts were made in a country where Government aid was given for social relief.