Pensioners' Flats In Whangarei ?

Northern Advocate, 16 August 1949, Page 5

Pensioners' Flats In Whangarei ?

Pensioners’ flats are to be provided in 15 secondary towns in New Zealand in addition to those in the main centres, according to a letter from the Minister of Social Security (Mr W. E. Parry) to the secretary of the Whangarei Pensioners’ Association (Mr H. R. Collier).

Mr Parry said that the position in Whangarei was being investigated by the Ministry of Works. In answer to a request from the association for consideration to providing more housing for miner pensioners, Mr Parry said: ‘‘l am always anxious to associate myself with, and, to assist the efforts of my colleagues in the Government to overcome the difficult housing prpblems of persons in receipt of pensions.” Mr Parry also answered several other questions put to him by the pensioners’ association. SERVICEMEN’S DEPENDANTS

He said that it was not possible to receive concurrently an age benefit and a war dependant's pension for the loss of a son on war service. The commissioner had discretionary power to grant a war serviceman’s dependant an allowance not exceeding £26 a year if the dependant qualified for such a pension under the War Pensions Act, 1943. In connection with universal superannuation, Mr Parry said that a person in receipt of an age benefit was not entitled to superannuation in addition. • The reduction in the Imperial pensions since last August was not caused through a reduction in the basic pension rates, but on account of the loss of exchange due to New Zealand currency being on par with sterling.