MIXED METHODS

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 22 July 1925, Page 5

MIXED METHODS

N.Z. PENSION SYSTEM. '-•l “A PATCHWORK. QUILT,”" UNIFORMITY DESIRED. FROM OUR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. WELLING TON, July 21. “Our pensions •system is like a patchwork- quilt, of many colours—it has no 'uniformity,” was the criticism of Mr. T. M. Wilford when the annual report of the Pensions Department was presented to the House. He proceeded to show.how varied were the requirements for the different pen-s-ioiiiS, liow difficult* it was for magistrades to exercise their judgment. Any pensions! Minister who wished to make a forward movement should get to work and make the pensions system and its regulations uniform. He should secure reciprocity in pensions matters throughout the Empire, and give discretionary power to. the- Minister to do justice where oases of ex(treme hardship occurred, through having to follow the actual letter of , the law. Many members called the Minister’s attention to -.anomalies in the operation of the present system, and Labour speakers demanded an increase of the old age pensions to 25s weekly. The Minister for Pensions (Mr. Anderson) agreed with those who had criticised the lack of uniformity in.-the system, hut declared that the .'House had prevented him from altering the 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, he could have made the extra 2s 6d to old ago pensioners apply to all. Ho agreed that the .system was more or less patchwork, and after studying it for five years he must confess .ft could only be altered in the way he would outline Later in the session. He believed they could get a uniform pension which included invalidity. 'Mr. Holland: “Will it rome in a Ball?” Mr. Anderson : “I will ' state the *■ proposals this year and their cost, and let the electors say whether .they are prepared to foot the hill, because it is going to cost a lot of money.' 5

COST OF PENSIONS. ' WELLINGTON, July 21. The annual report of uhe Pensions Department shows that the cost of pensions per head ■or the population amounts to £1 16s -Id, a shilling per head less, than lost year. 'Die gross payments for the year were: War £1,244,483, old-age £706,953, widows £236,378, Maori War £26,848, miners £35,506, epidemic £22,881, Boer War £3071, sundry pensions and. annuities £9327,= Civil Service Act, 1908, £19,115, blind ‘£1036; total, £2,408,598; ' ' .. . 7.. ... The Minister eulogised the work done hy the Secretary for Pensions, who put in a great amount ot labour and sympathy in the interests of pensioners. It had been said that there ought to 'b© more discretion 'given to the administration of the Law. There was no one to whom he would rather give discretion than to the Secretary for Pensions, but he was -sure that gentleman would not have it, and magistrates did not want it. The proper way was for the House to lay down, principles for officers to carry out, otherwise there would be toe many cases of heart running away with the head. ~ So far as reciprocity wavs cohcerAed, the Minister said Australia had not responded to New Zealand’s efforts. So far as the Old Country was concerned, he would have nothing to do with reciprocity unless the Old ■. Country agreed to the pension of their own people, otherwise New Zealand would .simply he flooded with their pensioners because we paid a higher pension than they. did. He was considering the question of a blind .person who was not horn in New Zealand, hut who had lived in New Zealand for 2-5 years being entitled to a pension. '