BILL OPPOSED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23344, 12 May 1939, Page 12

BILL OPPOSED

THE LYONS ANNUITIES GOVERNMENT ENDANGERED CONFERENCE OF PARTIES AMENDMENT INTRODUCED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received May 11, 11.20 p.m.) CANBERRA, May 11 The Federal Ministry's bill to provide annuities of £SOO a year for Dame Enid Lyons, and £SOO for her children until the youngest reaches the ago of 21, is to be substantially amended. The Ministry made this decision after it encountered unexpected trouble in the House of Representatives when it introduced the bill. It became apparent that tho Ministry would bo defeated if it pressed the measure in its present form, and at tho suggestion of Mr. R. G. Menzies, Prime Minister, a committee consisting of two members of each party reviewed the proposals. As a result of these deliberations new proposals were placed before tho members of tho various parties, which resulted in tho following amendment being brought down:— The annuity to Dame Enid to remain at £SOO, provided sho does not marry again, and an annuity on a sliding scale to be paid to the children until the youngest is 16 years, not 21 years as proposed in the present bill. The amount to fall by about £BS a year until, when the youngest child reaches 16, it would disappear altogether.

The debate on the bill was resumed this afternoon, and the House later reported progress.