GENERAL WELFARE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18049, 24 September 1920, Page 4

GENERAL WELFARE

DISCUSSION IN THE UPPER HOUSE.

EARLY DETECTION OF DISEASE.

SPEECH BY SHI JOHN SINCLAIR.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF THRIFT SUGGESTED.

{From Oun Own Corrkspohdent.) 'pi r "WELLINGTON, Scptemlier 22. n r, vm K motion, moved by tho Hon. { Collins, was to-day dismissed by tho Legislative Council;— That in the opinion of this Council tho lmc is rir.o for initiating a comprehensive scheme for the purpose of further improving the general welfare of tho K-opie, tile encouragement of thrift, and disea.so' CVCntlon o "' U ' lv (lt>lcct 'on of Tho mover suggested that in order to enauro the early detection of disease every person should bo required to submit to :ui annual examination un to tho age of 21 years, and should thereafter bo encouraged to continue the practice. All possible statists < ?" d , rocor(i L s tho health of the people should be gathered by tho authorities. A grout wastage of infant life was going on to-day. Irooably a means of checking that wastage would bo to ensure that evcFv expectant mother was givtyi all the information and all tho care necessary for hor wellare and tho v/elfaro of the child. A great deal might be done to diminish the number oi wlscs of pulmonary tuberculosis. He inferred from the statistics available on the ■subject that between the ages of five and lt> children became in some way very much ,'inore liable to develop the disease than they were in the first live years of their lives, l robably tne increased susceptibility was due to the cilect of s'uch diseases as measles and whooping cough. If an annual examination up to tho age of 21 was too expense, then examination up to the age of 16 should be substituted. 1 lie people required instruction in tho importance of thrift, Dr Collins proceeded. A small sum of money should be invested for every chiltf at birth, and a record of the growth of that sum at compound interest stjould bo kept in a thrift book." Tho record would servo to demonstrate to every person tho value of inoney; £16 Is 2d invested at 5 per cent, lor a newly-born child would in 60 yeaia provide a sum of £500. 'ihat would serve as an oid-ago pension. In seconding tne motion, Sir John Sinclair said thai he hud been particularly interested in Dr Collins's reterenees to the need lor thrift. The present cost ot living, he said, was a world problem. No Government was responsible lor it, and no Government could solve it. 'ihe position could bo bettered only by increased production aixl the imietice of econoipy. Too many people had taken it for granted that upon tne termination of the war the cost of living would duninish, consequently there was disappointment and a disposition to cast the ulanie upon somebody. It appeared to him that three agencies were' available to help in the reduction of the cost of living. The first was the Government, tho second tho Board of Trade, and the third the people. It seemed clear that the* Board of 'Irade could do less than either of ihe other two agencies, not because of any shortcomings on its "part, but for tho reason that no Board of Trade could tleal with "root causes.'' More could be done, by the people and tho Governprovided that the people supported tho Government in the carrying out of a policy of national economy, and themselves practised individual econofny. Few slioidd to-day require to be convinced of tho need for economy. The Prime Minister had emphasised that need in replying to deputation after deputation that had waited upon him with requests for tho expenditure of publio moneys. Mr Massey had given a warning that there might be a fall in the prices that New Zealand produce was realising. It should bo generally remembered now groat was the country's indebtedness, and how further borrowing must further inflate the currency, and so raise the cost of living still higher. New Zealand and the Mother Country wero by far the most heavily inddbted per head of population of the co-untries comprised in the British Commonweal-til. 'Phis was not a good timo for- the expenditure of public moneys,' the oost of labour and materials was exceedingly high- There was not much individual practice of economy to-day. On the contrary, there was a tendency to lavish expenditure. There was no doubt that .wasteful expenditure added all round to the cost of living. So far, also, tho people_ ot this country contributed to too lessening of world production, they would add to the oost of living. No one would dream of suggesting at tins time that there should be undue etiort; all that was required was steady industry, and an avoidance of the strikes, either direct or indirect, that wore doing such -grievous liarm to industry to-day. It the country was determined to do what it could! to deflate the currency, it must mako a -beginning as soon as possibb with the reduction oi -the national debt. New Zealanders must not take it for granted that the war part of our national debt was to be "a permanent lixture." Other countries had made a beginning. Tho Mother Country had repaid £420,<XI>J,000— a truly splendid performance. There might bo danger ahead, and New Zealand would do well to prepare. " The country had not yet founded itself upon the suro basis oi increased production. Seme of the prices dbtamod tor New Zealand produce wero very high, and there might bo a fall. Money was tightening. Unemployment was looming ur in the Old Country. He read a warning note in the taxation proposals now before Parliament. It would seem that those charged with the responsibility of providing revenue had misgivings as to whether there might not be a serious shrinkago in tho incomes that produced so large a pait of tho revenue, and with prudence they were broadening tiro basis of taxation. Iho land settlement that had taken place within the last few years might make further heavy claims upon the country's resources. He hoped that tho returned soldiers on the land would bo prosperous, Decause they deserved to be so. But unless pnees were maintained they would need further help. Tho economic effect of an allround fall in prices would bo to increase proportionately tho country's already heavy indebtedness to these who would come after. It would do_so with tho knowledge that or many years to come tho resources of Now Zealand would not be so buoyant as they were to-day. The delxite was adjourned upon the motion' of tho Hon. J. B. Gow.