THE PENSIONS SYSTEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20309, 17 July 1929, Page 13

THE PENSIONS SYSTEM.

OVERHAUL TO BE MADE.

LARGE AGGREGATE COST. INCREASE IN RATES UNLIKELY. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.!] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. An overhaul of the whole pensions system is to be undertaken by the Government, according to a statement by the Hon. T. M. Wilford in the House this afternoon. Mr. Wilford, as Minister of Defence, is concerned with war pensions. A more comprehensive statement was made by the Horn W. A, Veitch, Minister of Pensions, when replying later to the remarks passed during a debate initiated by the presentation of the annual report of the Pensions Department. "Far be it from me or any member of the Government to argue that there is no necessity for an improvement in the pen- , sions system," said Mr. \ eitch. '"lndeed, from time to time oar pension system | has been improved by Parliament remov- ! ing anomalies. It has been very definit ely 1 and very extensively improved. I think it is just to say that in spite of the disabilities which exist, and which in- \ cidentaily are being removed as opportunity offers, New Zealand has a pensons system of which we have every reason to be proud." The Act governing pensions was being sympathetically administered by the officers of the department, s;nd the Minister. It was not the policy of the Government or of the administrative officers to cut down expenses by withholding pensions that were really payable under the law. The question of reciprocity had been raised. Since he had been in office, he had gone into it, but nothing had been finalised. The financial position of the Dominion had to be considered before coming to a final decision. The ideal, of course, would be reciprocity among all parts of the Empire, but that was not a practical proposition at the moment. Touching upon increases in pensions, the Minister said he felt sure the people would be staggered at the aggregate cost involved. He was not going to be so unwise or so insincere as to suggest that there was any possibility of an increase being made in the near future. The question of invalidity pensions bad also been raised, added the Minister. Of all the improvements necessary m tne pensions svstem he sincerely believed that a pension f r r invalided husbands was tne most desirable. The Minister said if there wrr?_ any j individual cases which members believed | had not. received justice at the hands of i the decartment, he would be si ad if they were referred to him, so that be could take the necessary steps to see that justice was done. It was not the policy of the Government, however, to economise at the expense of the pensioners. The question of at.tnhutability was ot very great importance, and undoubtedly was the most i difficult* problem connected with the pensions legislation. It would be given careful and svmpathetic consideration. The Minister concluded by stating that , the points raised by the various speak era j would be cone into, including the matter j of arranging if possible that police should j rarry out in mufti thfir inquiries relative I to pensions. He would center with the j Minister of Justice on that point and no | doubt a satisfactory arrangement would j INCREASE IN" PAST YEAR. TOTAL OF £2,722,000. DETAILS OF PENSIONS PAID. ! j [3T TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] j "WELLINGTON, Tuesday. j | An increase of £105.053 in the pension . ! pavments for the year ended March 01, j i 1929, compared with the payments m tne ! preceding"vear, is disclosed in the thirty- | first annual report of the Pensions Dei nartrnent tabled m tne ih*s aite.i noon by the Hon. W. A. "Veitch, Minisj ter of Pensions. j The payments in the past two years the following table : I " 1927-2?. 192^-23. ! Ti- , £1 151 9T3 ±'1.1*4.003 Old are I*. " L'ltO.S" L 060.™ . c ;io4.o<sr> 313.%4 Mir,r." War 13.653 ; ! Miners .. -- -iS.CHK ! Blind 1 • - - - —-*"* -.'.-">4 I Boer War • -• T;o -•• ou Act. 1903 13.2r.ri 12.2 ( i0 Family allowances . o'T.c.i- 34..Hi. Totals . . • . £2.513.T70 £2,721.323 The cost pe r head of tne European population in 1927-23 was £1 17s 3d, and in 1925-29 £1 18s 9d. THE ICOTST TRADE. MONOPOLY PLAN ALLEGED. MEMBER EXPRESSES FEARS. [BY TTLEGP^-PH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] | "ELLINGTON. Tuesday. ] The fear that the Mount Cook Motor l might spnir® n monopoly r, i j I tourist trade was expressed by Mr. .7. O'Brien (West-land), in an urgent qner- | tion addressed "to the Minister in cnarce jof tourist and health resorts, Sir Joseph j Ward, in the House this afternoon. | Mr.' O'Brien asked the Minister 1 whether he had seen a statement to the j pnent that the company was attempting | to establish a chain oi hostels and motor services and so secure a monopoly of the tourist trade. Mr. O'Brien asked whether the' Minister would take steps _to prevent such a monopoly beinc established. Six* Joseph T^v ard said lie had noticed j the statement in the newspapers. The I Mount Cook Motor Company was a private concern and the Government had I no control over it or any other private ! companv. The member could rest, asj sured, however, that, no private company j would be allowed to obtain a monopoly of the tourist, traffic in New Zealand. Anvone contemplating that would be well advised to reconsider the mailer before j taking definite steps. BOOTY ON TIG IRON. PAYMENTS TO ONAKAKA. ! [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON. Tuesday. According to a return presented to Par- | liament, to-day the Gove.rnment paid hy j wav of bounty to the Onakaka Iron and j Companv, Limited, for the year j ended on March 31 last £6729 in respect. I of 5176 tons of pig iron manufactured at j Onakaka, Col line wood. Prior April jl, 1928. £14.548"was paid to tho company I in r6spcrt of 10.60»!) tons of iron. RESTRICTION OF RENT. LAW TO BE EXTENDED, [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL RKPOUTK.iI.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The Government has decided to eyiend for a further term the rent, restriction legislation, which is due to expire on August 1. The Minister of Labour, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, sought leave in (ho •House to-dav to introduce the continuance measure, which, it is understood, will propose an extension of the term for a further 12 months.