GOVERNMENT'S FIRST TASK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23649, 5 November 1938, Page 14

GOVERNMENT'S FIRST TASK

SECURITY LEGISLATION ADMINISTRATION OF ACT EARLY APPOINTMENTS (SrEciAL to Daily Times) WELLINGTON, Nov. 4. The intention of the Government to make the principal administrative appointments under the Social Security Act at an early date was mentioned by the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) in an interview tonight. This will involve the appointment of a Minister of Social Security as well as that of a Social Security Commission of not more than three commissioners, and it is also likely that a parliamentary under-secretary will be appointed to assist with the administration of the scheme.

Mr Savage said that a good deal of discussion at the caucus of members of the Parliamentary Labour Party, which concluded this afternoon, had been devoted to matters connected with the administration of the Social Security Act. Although the Act did not become operative until April 1 there was no time to lose and consideration had been given to the proposals and preparations for the launching of the scheme next year. Need For Organisation The scheme was a such a big tiling, Mr Savage said, that it required a good deal of thought and organisation to give effect to it. By the time Parliament met again the Act would be in operation and as a result of this experience of the scheme in practice the Government would know what amendments, if any, were necessary. In the meantime, there was a great deal of preparatory organisation work to do from a departmental point of view. It was also necessary to meet the hospital boards, the friendly societies, the medical profession, and everybody else concerned. The Prime Minister said he had just received a report from the heads of the services brought into the scheme which outlined what they considered necessary in the way of organisation. He had not yet had an opportunity to study their report. The whole pensions system would have to be fitted into the new order of things. Administrative Appointments The caucus, Mr Savage said, had not discussed the question of the appointment of parliamentary undersecretaries. The Government would have to deal with that question when the need for such appointments arose. He thought it would be necessary to have some assistance, but any appointments of this nature would be made by the Government. The appointment of commissioners to administer the social security scheme would have to be made shortly in order that they might get the correct measure of their job. The sooner the appointments of commissioners were made the batter. It would also be necessary to appoint a Minister of Social Security, although the Minister of Health would administer the health side ofthe scheme. , "These are things we cannot carry resolutions about in caucus, Mr Savage said. "The caucus can only decide general principles, but such things as the appointment of administrative officers must be done by the Government. Earlier Session Likely Asked if he were able to indicate when Parliament was likely to meet, Mr Savage said he did not think it would be necessary to call Parliament together before the normal time in June. There was, however, much to be said for opening Parliament about May and he intended to consult with the Audit and Treasury authorities to see if this were not possible in future. For years there had been complaints about Parliament sitting late into the year. "It would be much more satisfactory for everyone if a session could be finished about September,' Mr Savage said. "By terminating the session early this year we have been able to get the election out of the way in good time and still give any amount of breathing-space between the election and Christmas. Whatever business men may think of the Government I think they will approve of the session of Parliament being kept well away from Christmas. When Parliament is sitting, irrespective of what Government is in power, there is a certain amount of unrest."