At Last!

NZ Truth, Issue 1035, 26 September 1925, Page 6

At Last!

WHEN the Seddon Government passed the Old Age Pensions Bill it made provision for the exemption of applicants' personal residences up to a certain value. Increased valuations of < properties have caused many worthy elderly people to be deprived of the right to a pension. They had managed, to put by enough to secure a roof over their heads, but° when they were no longer able to work for a livelihood they wore ineligible for the old 'age pension. To this extent they were penalised for their thrift. Somewhat late m the day the Coatea Government has removed this injustice. But better late than never. ■The curious changes .that Time effects is strikingly exemplified by the extension of pension' benefits introduced by the Reform Government, whose predecessors opposed the original Bill. .In future the home of a pensioner will be exempted from the computation of the amount of a pension. . So, too, will moneys raised by subscription for the benefit of ,a pensioner. The .amended law will be a great boon. It should be put into operation as quickly as possible. .

mortgagee's risk under this clause, some of the largest lending institutions do not require such policies to be taken m their favor. The clause was first put m the Act by the Seddon Government to protect the worker's rights to the uttermost; but the foregoing ©hows how this clause has entirely missed the point for which it was framed. It is ignorantly asserted by many that the clause is very much m tho interests of accident insurance offices and gives them large ready-made profits. Facts show it is not. TO BEAT THE DOG. However, this argument gives some agitators another stick with which to beat the private accident insurance dog. Solicitors generally resent this obnoxious clause, and still more so do the mortgagors who have to pay the premium. In the interests of all concerned, this clause m the Act should be repealed, and it says little for the intelligence of our legislators that 'it was not repealed many years ago. It is, however, of the utmost importance that the rights of all employers and employees should be fully safeguarded by the 1 Act. This we maintain is not done, and no complete attempt has yet been made m the Dominion to do it. Insurance against the employer's risk under the Workers' Compensation Act is quite optional, and admittedly there are many small employers who are ignorant, others who, if not ignorant, at least hope for good luck and carry on business without any such protection to themselves, their employees, and their creditors. From the national, even more than the business standpoint, this is a very serious ' position, but it is a position which can easily be put right. Insurance against the employer's risk under the Workers' Compensation Act can and should be made compulsory, as is done m many parts of the world. Neglect to insure thus can easily be made an offence punishable by fine, as is done for neglect to register births, etc. /By this means no creditor, employer or worker would over suffer from the absence of W,C, Act cover, ..•:■■-