THE WIDOWED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23115, 13 August 1938, Page 17

THE WIDOWED

PROVISION MADE ORPHANS' ALLOWANCES SUM UP TO 15/- A WEEK DESERTED WIVES BENEFIT Thy telegraph—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Friday Provision for payment to widows and orphans is made in the Social Security Bill. Qualifications are explained in detail, together with tho amounts to which persons are entitled. A widow with one child under 16 years of age will receive a benefit of £1 15s a week; with two children, £2 ss; with three children; £2 15s; with four children, £3 ss; with 10s a week extra for each child up to a maximum of £4 10s a week. No deductions from the benefits are to be made unless other income is more than £1 10s a week for widows without children under 16, and for fullyqualified widows, until they receive the ago benefit, on reaching the age of 60, at the rate of £1 a week, with an additional allowable income of £1 a week. Duration of Marriage Widows' qualifications are as follows: —(1) A widow, the duration of whose marriage, plus the time during which, while a widow, she cared for her children under the age of 16, was not less than 15 years; (2) any widow who loses her husband after she is 50 years of age will receive the benefit so long as her marriage has continued for five years; (3) any other widow receives the benefit on reaching tho age of 50 if her marriage occurred not less than 15 years previously and continued for 10 years, and she was widowed after she reached 40 years of age. Women who have been deserted and have taken maintenance proceedings will, if their husbands' whereabouts are unknown,' qualify as widows if they have dependent children under 16 years of age, or, in any other case, at the discretion of the commissioners. Women whose husbands are in mental hospitals either under a reception order or as voluntary boarders will qualify as widows if they have children under the age of 16 years, or, in any other case, at the discretion of the commissioners. Residential Requirements A widow, satisfying the marriage period qualifications, who has dependent children, qualifies if she and her husband were both resident in New Zealand for not less than three years prior to tho death of the husband. A widow who has dependent children qualifies in respect of children who were born in New Zealand, or were born while she was temporarily absent from New Zealand, or if both she and her husband were resident in New Zealand for not less than three years immediately preceding the date of the husband's death or desertion or admission to a mental hospital. Orphans' benefits will be payable to every child under 16:-—(1) If both parents are dead; (2) if the child was born in New Zealand or its last surviving parent resided in New Zealand for three years prior to death; (3) so long as it 'is not being maintained in a State institution. The rate of benefit will bo fixed by the Government in its discretion at a sum up to 15s a week. Any property owned by a child and any special circumstances will bo taken into account when fixing the rate of benefit. Payments of orphans' benefits will be made to tho guardian on behalf of tho child. GENERAL PROVISIONS CASE OF TWO PAYMENTS PENSIONS FROM OVERSEAS [by telegraph—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Friday A number of general provisions are included in the Social Security _ Bill, relating principally *to technicalities. A general rule is laid down that no person may receive more than one monetary benefit under the Act, but special provision is made in the case of war pensioners who previously have been receiving old-age pensions, as well as war disability pensions. In this case they may receive an extra payment up to the amount which they were previously receiving under tho two pensions. In the case of persons who are receiving pensions from overseas in respect of their disablement, or the death or disablement of any other person, provision is made # that they may receive tho benefit in New Zealand, if otherwise qualified, of the difference between the overseas pension and tho New Zealand benefit. A benefit for children may bo continued after the age of 16, for not more than two years, where such a course will enable tho child to continuo its education. The benefits are to 1 bo payable at intervals of not more than one month, and provision is made for payment of the benefit to sonm person other than the beneficiary if sickness or age prevent him from obtaining it personally. It is made an offence, punishable by a fine of £SO, to demand or take a charge over any benefit granted under the Act, as a security for a loan or otherwise.