A PLEA FOR PENSIONS

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1925, Page 2

A PLEA FOR PENSIONS

FALLS ON DEAF EARS. Mr J. O'Brien, M.P., speaking on the Budget, on Thursday lust, the 6th inst., put in a strong plea for pensions for women who have sick husbands, and children dependent upon them. The Member for Westland spoke feelingly on the question, and made a favourable impression on the House. Replying to a statement made by Mr Nash, M.P. (Palmerston North) to the effect that the members of the Labour Party had niot granted assistance to a widow whp was a supporter of the Party, Mr O’’Brien said;— WIDOWS GET NOTHING. “The Hon. Member states that the working people -cf Palmerston North uro very well represented—very well represented—by a lion, gentleman who backs up the policy of a Government that returns to the wealthiest people of this country, £3,000.000 a year in the past two years, and proposes to give them another £300,000 this year, while

the. willows are given nothing at all. Mr Nash: “Yes, the widows do get something! ’ ’ Mr O'Brien: “They nre not to ger anything. I will leave that matter to be dealt with by the workers of Palm orston North when the election comearound. The hon. gentleman quotes a Communist, programme which he tries to saddle on to the Labour Party, and he calls it fair dealing!’’ - Mr Nash: “I did 'no such thing!’' Mr O’Brien: “While he did that, sir he ended by remarking that ‘we can all have a little chaff,’ 1 ! Probably bis whole speech was ’chaff’, and was meant as such, although he claimed it had a lit. tie backbone in it.’’ “The reason I rose to-night,’’ con tinned Mr O’Brien, was because of the Prime Minister’s speech. The lion, gcntlemnia stated that the Government never interfered with the Arbitration Court . ’ ’ Mr Lysnar: “Hear, hear!'' Mr O’Brien: “If the lion gentleman who interjected can remember only as far back as 1913, he will recall that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act was made absolutely ridiculous by the Reform Party. In that year, union nfter union was formed in industries where a union had alreadv i been registered, which all were prepared to carry out the work required of I them. These superfluous unions, con- i sisting of 15 or 16 members coerced up to 1000 other workers in some of this particular industries concerned, and workers were victimised up and down the whole country, under the cloak ot the Act. Then in the Court grant ed a bonus of 9s per week to each worker, which, at the instance of the Employers’ Federation, was reduced to 3s, every worker in the country them by being robbed of 6s per week for years. ”

Mr Lysntn; “No c>ne interfered with the Court.’’

Mr O'Brien: “Of course the respo" futility will be placed upon the Court, er upon some other department, because the Reform Party is not going to accept the blame.’’ MORE PERKS FOR THE WEALTHY “One of the most astounding statemeats which the hon. the Prime Minister made was when he glibly informed the House that the aniouut of income tax reduction this year was tu bn about £3oo,ooo''’ Mr Coates: “I said between £200.000 and £300,000.’’ Mr O'Brien: “We. shall say, sir, between £200,000 and £300,000. I don’t care whether it is only £lOO,OOB. What is astounding is the idea of any tax reduction at all when so much money is required for so many necessary things. ’’ MEMBERS TO CRAWL FOR WOUNDED SOLDIERS. “The hon. gentleman said, with regard to soldiers’ pensions, that the personal attention o£ members was often very necessary to get pension matter* through the Department— that doctors’ certificates were needed and so on. t have a recollection of bringing before the Minister an instance in which seven doctors ’ certificates were produced in connection with one .case, to th» effect that the applicant's illness was due to war service, but still he has not. received a pension, nor is he likely to receive one while this Government is in office! ”, PENSIONERS ADVERTISED. “One thing I object to is the statement of the Auditor-Genera Iff in his report in reference to old age pensions. I think he is hitting very much below the belt when he gave the names’ of 15 persons who nre alleged to have made false statements, and to have received money to which they were not entitled. The memory of the applicants for the •dd age pension is very often faulty, It is almost impossible to get a coherent statement from many of them. I have filled in scores of their application forms, and I know the trouble there is in getting a statement as to their real financial position. And yet we have it that the 15 old people are to have their names published because they have made some mistake or other. TREATMENT OF OLD AGE PENSIONERS. “I remember the case of one old man who worked at the Otira Tunned until he was 76 years of ago. When ho knocked off, he and his wife hnd — Dkg £25 saved up. Under the Pensions Act, they could rot get n pension because the man had earned more than the amount allowed for exemption foi the previous 12 months. However, they managed to get about £l2 a year each —£24 in nil. Then the Department found that tho old lady had had some pension eight or nine years before that she had not been entitled to, and they cut her pension off altogether, leaving the old couple £l2 a year to live upon! They had to wait bif ®qohs before they eaijld ap-

ply again for the full pension. In the meantime, the old man became ill, and £ do not think he drew more than two instalments of the pension before his death. In many eases, old people have just mamaged to get pensions a month or two before their death and the worry of trying to get tho pension tells against them. ’ ’ WILL THE GOVERNMENT !3E HUMANE? “Another case which requires legislation is that of a woman with a sick husband. I thought it might be possible to take this matter up. If the Minister or tho Government do so, an I there is any glory attached to their action, they are justly entitled to that glory, amd they can have it, if they are willing to do the job. There is a considerable number of women in this country with sick husbands and young children, who are having a very hard time indeed. There is the case of a woman with an invalid husband and seven children all under tho ago of 14 years. She is attempting to live and keep her husband and her children on 25s per Wet'k, and anyone of us must recognise what an awful struggle she is having. Cannot something be done foi such a case as that? Cannot the Government take up the eases of women with sick, husbands and children? I understand it would cost £75,000 a year, and the Minister will say it is impossible to get the money. Perhaps he thinks that, In the future, we may get the money. n-x ■ - •• arc

we going to get the money when the Government gives back in rebates of taxation £200,000 or £300,000. or a mil lion, or three millions a year to people who do not need them? It might have been possible twoa or three years ngo to say that same people were groaning under the burden of taxation, but it cannot be said to-dav MONEYBAGS, OR BABIES—WHICH? “If tho amount to be given back this year is £200,000, let us have that and spend it, or half of it, in pensions for women who are putting up a great fight for sick husbamds and children right throughout the whole length and breadth of New Zealand! I do not think any member of this House warns to look upon poverty. I do not. and £ will always do my best to make any Government that is in power stand up to the question of pensions for the sick and needy. If I can do anything definite in that direetiisn, I shall not altogether have lived in vain. Sir, ) should not have risen, but for the statement of the Prime Minister, and J urge on the Government, that if they want to be worthy of the name, they should do something for women who have sick husbands nnd young children dependent upon them, and I trust something will be done in that dirqsUeij thin session, ”