SECURITY PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 100, 30 April 1938, Page 10

SECURITY PLAN

FURTHER EVIDENCE

REQUEST BY POWER BOARDS

PARTIAL EXEMPTION

Further contributions were made today to the evidence which is- being collected by the Select Committee on National Health and State Superannuation/ in regard to the Government's social security plan. Evidence was submitted on behalf of the power boards of New Zealand, the ,' Counties' Association, and the unemployed workers' organisation. This was the first Saturday meeting of the Committee, which has decided that the hearing of evidence should conclude on Wednesday of next week. The only other important evidence to be heard is that of the New Zealand Farmers' Union.

A statement was presented on behalf of the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities Association of New Zealand.

The proposal of the Government to provide a national health and superannuation scheme was recognised as desirable, said the statement, but there were certain aspects which affected the employees of the industry. The electric supply industry had for many years past recognised the necessity of providing for-the retirement of its employees, and to that end many of the organisations had provided superannuation schemes. The majority or the existing schemes had been created under the provisions of the National Provident Fund Act, as relating to local authorities. It was realised that the schemes were not all that could be desired, and some authorities had themselves established other schemes by means of endowment assurance and savings schemes, in anticipation of legislative authority,, which had been promised from time to time. "It'is evident that the greatest benefits tinder the National Provident Fund scheme could' only be obtained if it were made of general application to all local authorities in New Zealand, and With this in view a special resolution was passed at the conference of electricity supply undertakings last year, 'asking for legislative authority to make it mandatory for all supply, authorities in New Zealand to undertake schemes of superannuation under the provisions of the National Provident Fund Act," the statement proceeded. SELF-SUPPORTING INDUSTRY. "We should like to point out ■.that the industry as a whole is a self-sup-porting one, its revenue being derived from sales of current, and that the contributions necessary from the supply authorities would be provided from the revenue of the respective organisations. The National Provident Fund scheme is already well-known to you, and it is unnecessary to amplify it here, but we would like to point out that under its provisions retiring allowances' are provided at age of 65 for males, and 60 for females, together with . certain supplementary benefits, including widows' and children's'allowances, and certain incapacity benefits." ■ The employees in the industry would prefer to remain in their existing superannuation schemes, and they did not feel that the national health and superannuation scheme was in itself adequate to replace the benefits which they were now able to obtain under their existing schemes. Likewise those 1 supply authorities which had not as yet undertaken any superannuation schemes, had replied to the effect that they would prefer to join a compulsory scheme under the National Provident : Fund. In the past only permanent employees had been contributors to the National Provident Fund scheme. The industry had suggested that the provisions of the National Provident Fund Scheme should be extended to embrace all employees, and it had been on those lines that the discussions with the National Provident Fund superintendent had been conducted. It was recognised that the national health and State superannuation scheme embraced much more than the local authorities superannuation scheme, and for that reason complete exemption was not asked for. It.was suggested, however, that where schemes under the National Provident Fund were in existence or were contemplated for the whole industry exemption should be allowed in respect of those benefits already provided. CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS OBJECT. The Christian Scientists, in a letter to the Committee, stated: "To compel people to pay for a system of medication which they would not willingly employ does not seem to be in accordance with that freedom of conscience which is the proud boast of Britishers the world over, nor with the principles of free and enlightened democracy for which this Dominion stands, and in these circumstances we appeal on behalf of the Christian Scientists of New Zealand, for exemption from the provisions of compulsory health insurance, or alternatively that those desiring to do so may enjoy the right of calling upon the assistance of registered Christian Science practitioners in the same way and under the same conditions as believers in materia medica will if, and when, this Bill becomes law, have the right of calling in a medical practitioner."