MANY PENSIONS

Evening Star, Issue 18999, 22 July 1925, Page 1

MANY PENSIONS

PATCHWORK QUILT SYSTEi MINISTER PROMISES SOLUTION (From Qua Pakuamextaev Reporter.! AVELLINGTON, July 21. “Our pensions system is like a patchwork quilt of many colors; it has no uniformity,” was the criticism of Mr AVilford when the annual report of tho Pensions Department was presented to tho House. He proceeded to show how varied were the requirements for the different pensions, and how difficult it was for magistrates to exorcise their judgment. Anv pensions Minister who wished to make a forward movement should get to work and make the pensions system and its regulations uniform. Ho should secure reciprocity in pensions matters throughout the Empire, and give discretionary power to the Minister to do justice where cases of extreme hardship occurred through having to follow the actual letter of tho law.

Many members called the Minister's attention to anomalies in the operation of the present system, and the Labor speakers demanded an increase of oldage pensions to 25s weekly. The Minister of Pensions (Mr Anderson) agreed with those who had criticised the lack of uniformity in the system, but declared that the House had prevented him from altering tho law in that direction. As a matter of fact, some people drew two or three pensions, which was not right. Uniformity would limit it to one pension, and had this been permitted ho could have made tho extra 2s (Id to old-age pensioners apply to all. He agreed that the system was more or less a patchwork one, and, after studying it for five years, he must confess that it could only ho altered in the way lie would outline later in tho session. Ho believed they could got a uniform pension, which'included invalidity. Air Holland: AARII it come in ft Bill?

Air Anderson'; 1 will state the proposals this year, and their cost, and let the electors say whether they are prepared to foot the Bill, because it is going to cost a lot of money.