SOCIAL SECURITY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 18, 17 December 1938, Page 9

SOCIAL SECURITY

BENEFITS ENUMERATED.

SURVEY BY MINISTER

CLEARING MISCONCEPTIONS

Per Press Association

WELLINGTON, Dec. 17

In an interview, to-day, Hon. W. Nash stated that, on the occasion of his taking up his new portfolio as Minister of Social Security, it was fitting that he should again set out the benefits of the Social Security Act. The inclusion of the emergency benefit ensured that no case of need that just failed to qualify for specific benefit would be left without redress.

“The health benefits, under the control of the Minister of Health, will enable the whole population to receive medical services, supplies of medicines, hospital treatment, maternity treatment, and supplementary services,” said Mr Nash. He had. been concerned to iind how much misunderstanding stiff existed concerning the effect of the Act on the contributors to superannuation funds.

“The most common mistake is the belief that social security provides superannuation, ■ and notning else and that contributors to the superannuation funds, therefore, pay to two funds and can benefit from only one of them. This is utterly wrong, but it seems necessary to set out the true position again. “The average family in New Zealand is probably living on an income of £5 a week, on which the social security contribution will be 5s a week,” said the Minister. “The employment tax is already claiming 3s 4d, so the increase is only Is Bd, and for that the family is covered for benefits without parallel anywhere in the world. Both the parents and every child have a free family doctor, free hospital, and free medicines all their lives. The birth of a child brings the maternity benefit—worth the whole of the increase in the contribution for more than three years. The insurance cover guarantees to that family a continuing income in spite of inability to work through temporary sickness, permanent invalidism, or unemployment. It provides a means of livelihood for a widow, and her children, and for orphans in the event of the premature death of the breadwinner.

“In addition, there is the age benefit, which guarantees a minimum income of 30s for every individual, and £3 to every married couple at the age of 60, and universal superannuation which every man and woman now aged 37 or younger will draw in full, irresjiective of the amount of any other income or value of property. THE CIVIL SERVICE.

“In regard to the Civil Sendee and other annuitants coming within the scope of the Act, in the case of those married couples whose retiring allowance and other income is under £4 a week, they will receive such part of the maximum age benefit of £1 a week as is necessary to bring the total income up to £4. Any person who was previously receiving the age benefit may. on reaching 65 or more, relinquish the age benefit and take the universal superannuation, or continue the age benefit and not claim the universal superannuation, according to which benefit has the greater value. “Universal superannuation is payable without any cpnditions and, therefore, every married man on £5 a week or less will receive all his contributions back in universal superannuation alone. The explanation lies in the fact that those on high incomes will contribute more than they will receive, and they can afford to. That enables those on lower incomes to receive more than they pay. “I think,” said Mr Nash, “this should make it clear that every person on an average income who contributes both to a superannuation scheme and to social security will receive much more than the full value for his contributions. If he considers again what hospital, doctors, and maternity expenses, unemployment, and sickness have cost him in the last few years before 1935 he might even find he will be better off after paying ms contribution) quite anart from the security it gives for his family and the provision lor his later years.”