FAMILY ALLOWANCES

Horowhenua Chronicle, 12 September 1935, Page 7

FAMILY ALLOWANCES

labour Demands Increases PRIVATE BILL BEFORE HOUSE * (By Telegraph —Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. Moving in the House to-day for i'eave to introduce the Family Allowances Amendment Bill, Mr W. E. Barnard (Napier) said the question of family allowances was one that affected increasingly a large number of the poorest of the people. According to official figures in 1928 the number of allowances in force was 3006; in 1930 it had risen to 3868; in 1932 to 7332; and. in that year the basis of the income upon which the family allowance was paid was reduced from • Uto £3 ss. But that caused no diminution in the number of applications and for the year ending March 31 last the total* number of applications .stood at 12,321 and some four thousand children were affected. It was high time, he thought, that the existing provision, which dated back to 1926, was overhauled and improved. The object of the Bill was to enable the mother rather than the father to apply for a pension. Under the law as it stood at present the only person who could make application was . the father, and in a number of cases unfortunate women had been .deserted by husbands and left often in extremely difficult positions. He hoped the Government would itself do something in the matter. The Bill was supported by several members, who said there were a number of cases where women with childTen had been deserted by husbands and were unable to secure assistance because they could not find their husbands to sign applications or where a husband refused to sign an application, perhaps through spite or some quarrel. Rev. Clyde Carr and Mr A. S. Richards referred to the fact that when the Minister of Finance was leader of the Opposition he urged amendments to the Act, yet when he became a ,member of Cabinet he took no steps on the lines he had previously urged that action be taken. Mr Carr alleged that the police did not always do all they might do in locating defaulting husbands. Hon. J". Cobbe said it was entirely contrary to fact that the police did not use every possible endeavour to ascertain the whereabouts of defaulting husbands. The police did their duty very carefully in cases of that kind. During the last two years the number of cases where family allowances -were paid were increased by 2000, the cost being just more than £30,000. The total amount paid out for the year •ended March 31 last on account of family allowances was £152,815. It ■tiould not be said that family allowances were not receiving the attention of the Government., There were cases where husbands avoided their responsibility, but it was not fair that the «tato should be called upon to bear what was the husband 's responsibility. • "He had discussed the matter with the ■Commissioner of Pensions and there worn difficulties of which members of -the House were not aware. The Government- was doing everything it reasonably could regarding family allowances at the present time. The Bill was read a first time. The Invalid Pensions Bill (Mr J. O'Brien) was also read a first time .-after the mover had replied to the debate which took place on Friday morning.