PENSIONS SCHEME

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 69, 23 March 1938, Page 13

PENSIONS SCHEME

COMMITTEE'S TASK

INQUIRY TO OPEN ON APRIL 5

The special Parliamentary Committee set up last session to examine national superannuation and health insurance proposals will start its work on April 5, according to an announcement made by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) after Cabinet last night. The function of-- the Committee, which consists of eleven members (seven Government, three Opposition, and one Independent), is to investigate publicly the proposals of the Government for the establishment of a national health service, to ensure that all persons ordinarily resident in New Zealand may receive adequate medical, surgical, pharmaceutical, dental, hospital, - nursing, or other treatment necessary to maintain sound physical and mental health, and to assist recovery in the event of sickness. The Committee is also charged with the task of investigating the national superannuation proposals, under which all persons ordinarily resident in New Zealand shall be assured of an adequate income to maintain them in reasonable comfort when they become unable to support themselves by reason of old age, infirmity, sickness, or other disability, or on account of widowhood or other special conditions. The Committee is to report to the House of Representatives within 28 days of the start of the next session. EDUCATION AMENDMENTS. It is probable that the Education Committee of the House of Representatives, may be called together for its first meeting on April 5, according to a'statement made last night by the Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser). The responsibility of "this Committee is to consider the proposals incorporated in the Education Amendment Bill, which provides for a number of important reforms on the administrative side and also in other directions. This Committee is required to report to the House within' fourteen days of the start of the session.