CHALLENGE ISSUED

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 126, 31 May 1939, Page 15

CHALLENGE ISSUED

SOCIAL SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION OF ACT

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 30. "There is a. set of instructions that has been issued to officers, of the Social Security Department that, if published, would settle this election, and;'.l. challenge the Prime Minister to' publish the instructions given ±o those officers administering the fund." With these words the National candidate for Christchurch South, Mr. M. E. Lyons, ended an attack on the Social Security scheme at an election meeting tonight. Mr. Lyons contended that ; the administration of sickness benefits under the scheme amounted to no more than charity. He was accorded a vote of thanks. When the Social Security proposals were being explained to the public, it was believed' that, as soon as a man was sick, he was entitled to some re- : lief, Mr. Lyons said. That had been a-] definite understanding. It was to be a scheme such as a provident fund, that would be available to all who were sick. "We are' all paying premiums, and, surely, we are entitled to our benefits and not to have them as a matter of charity," Mr. Lyons said.

As far as he knew, there had been no maximum income fixed at which contributors were excluded from participation in benefits, but it had been stated that every case would be treated on its merits. Information sought from those claiming benefits was so searching that if the Coalition Government had asked for it, it would have been hounded up and down the country, and it would have deserved it. '