THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2429, 3 October 1900, Page 32

THE PUBLIC HEALTH.

The Public Health Bill was recommitted,

Clause 65, dealing with the overcrowding of houses, hotels, etc., was deleted, as being provided for in the Municipal Corporations Bill.

In clause 73, it was resolved, by 17 votes to 13, that for the purposes of the act a nuisance shall be deemed to exist when the drainage of any town or building falls into any harbour or on to any foreshore, so as to be offensive to the public or injurious to health. " Clause &7 was amended, extending ths power of entering buildings for the inspection of meat or produce "that has recently been sold." A subclause was added to clause 101, providing that the by-lows made by a local authority under the act may bo enforced in the manner provided in the Local Governing Act. TJuder clause 123 power was ghen to district health officers to release ship? after quarantine without reference to the Minister. I Clause 140, subsection 1, was amended to provide that a public vaecinator must be a medical practitioner. On resuming at 7.30 a new clause wa? added to the Public Health Bill to protect persons from double punishment under this or any other act for a .single oftence. A re:olution was passed adding to the list of offensive trades "' any trade that, unless preventive measures pro adopted, may become a nuisance or injurious to the health of the inhabitants of a district." The bill as amended was reported, read a third time, and passed. The House of Hepresentatives passed the second reading of the Private Industrial Schorls Bill before adjourning on Thursday n-oruing. At the afternoon sitting tho Premier gave notice of a bill to extend tho boundaries of the colony, and the debate on the second reading of the Old-age Pensions Bill was then proceeded with, being continued at the evening sitting. Befoie rising the bill paired its final stages. OLD-AC4E PENSIONS. The PREMIER moved the second reading of the Old-age Pension Act Amendment Bill. He explained that the bill provided for an extension of the period of absence from the colony from two to four years before an applicant was debarred from a pension. In tho case of* a man living with his wife, who perhaps was in receipt of £500 a year, such a man would be disqualified from a pension, and provision ww r t>s also mcicle for paying a pension up to the day of death, instead of for a complete month. Provision was further made compelling charitable aid bodies to take into homes persons in receipt of a pension. These wove the main features of the bill, and he hoped no attempt would be made by members, with a view of advertising themselves, to widen the scope cf the rayrnent of the pension. If so, he would oppose it. Mr LEWIS thought four yeai\s' abssnee from tho colony should not be a disqualification for a pension) and would propose an extension of ths time. Then, if charitable aid boards were 'to be compelled lo take in old-age pensioners to the home, these might bo taken in to the exclusion of people who were not in receipt of a pension. He disapproved ?l=o of aliens being entitled to a pension one monHi after naturalisation, as these people had all along declined to become "British subjects on account of its entailing the performance of certain duties. lie thought a separate institution for the accommodation of pensioners would be in the interests of recipients.

Mr TANNER objected to the Premier stating that those who advocated an increase were merely advertising themselves. He admitted th?t the claims had exceeded anticipations, si ill he thought that tile scope of the act could, with advantage to deserving persons, be widened.

Mr BUDDO thought the scope of the bill should be widened. , Mr FOWLDS said no act would be complete unless tho pension vas mode univeipal, as the present system led to a great deal of deception and dishonesty.

Captain RUSSELL thought there was no necessity for passing an amending bill this session, as the act did not expire until after the next session. The bill extended the period indefinitely, which at this period of the session was unwise. Ke bad always contended that there should be some system of compulsory contribution to the pension fund, which would rob the pension of its charitable feature.

Mr WARD said while there was a good deal of force in the argument in favour oE a compulsory system of contribution to the pension fund, in thai case State aid co-old be done without altogether. But what was to bo done. with, the large number who could not afford to contribute to -such a fund, or who had been improvident in their young clayp. They would still have claims on tho State. It was true thn't a greater number of Natives had come under' tne act than, was anticipated, so the amount required had exceeded anticipations. Theoretically, a Pension Act should be universal, but the colony had to cut its coat according to its cloth, and while the bill was not a perfect one, it remedied some defects of the present measure.

Mr GUINNESS had always advocated that tho system of pensions (should be universal. The present pension system was simply a chaiitable dole. There had b&en some force in the financial aspect of the case, but he was of opinion that the country could now stand tho strain of a universal pension, which he asserted would not add moie than £150,000 to the colony's burden.

Mr LAURIIASON thought the additional amount required to make the pension universal could be obtained by increasing the land tax and lowering the exemption from £500 to £200 on income tax.

Mr COLLINS would like to see a universal pension, but thought the financial problem was in the way. He was of opinion the original proporal, that 20 years' residence and 00 years of age as a qualification for a pension, should have been adopted. While he would like to s?e customs duties reduced, he would profrr to maintain them at the prepent rate," so that the scope of the old-age pension could be extended. Mr WfLFORD defended the application of the jjeneion to Native? , who at present were disqualified if they held an interest in an undivided block of land. He approved of tho bill geiiFially, and congratulated the Premier upon its introduction. Mr HEKE objected to the provision in the bill -placing difficulties in the way of Natives obtaining a pension. Mr R. M'KENZJE advocated pensions being made universal, and contended that the country would demand that concession, also that the pension should be increased to 10s rcer week;" while, the Native race should be dealt with in the same manner as Euro-

Mr HERRIES said the Premier was a long way out in his calculation as to the cost of the old-age pension scheme. The Premier estimated that the cost for the first year would be £100,000, and that it would increase at the rate ol £10,000 a year, whereas after two years' operation it was shown that the expenditure had increased by £65,000, and he believed that in a very short time a quarter of a million would be needed to meet the claims. He believed many people at present were in receipt of the pension who had no right to it. Jrle complained that the bill wos weak in its financial aspect, and contended that instead of there being a permanent appropriation for the amount required, an annual vote should be taken, so that membeis would be able to review the vole.

Mr A. L. D. FRaSER condemned the system of the Government denuding the Natives of their land and thsn preventing them, as tho bill proposed, getting a pension. If there was any special class of the community who were more entitled to a pension than another it W3S the Natives.

Mr HALL urged that the time by which an applicant could be disqualified for absence from the colony should be extended to a longer period than four years, and thought that aliens shoald be given greater facilities for qualifying for a pension. "With regard to Natives, he thought they should be. put on exactly rhe same looting as Europeans with respect to the pension.

Mr HUOG was pleased to find that many members who formerly opposed the old-age pensions were now in favour of it after it had successfully pasued its experimental stage. He approved of tho amendments proposed, in the bill, which were necersar}' to cure some defects that had been discovered in the working of the act.

fiir PAHATA said there were maty Natives who had a remote interest in a block of land, but who derived no benefit whatever therefrom. The Premier had simply humbugged the Natives by including Maoris in the origins! bill with a view to obtain their support thereto. Now he had turned round, arc! proposed to lake away the pension from them.

Mr M'GUIRE contended that the only proper solution of the question was to make the pension universal, and intimated his intention of doing his best in that direction when the bill w"a.b in committee.

Mr WI PERE complained of what he termed the underhand way in which the clause affecting Natives had been intrcducsd into the bill, whereby only landless Natives Were to be entitled to a. pension. He con-

sidered Natives and Europeans should be treated alike. Considering the unswerving support he had alw ays given the Government, he thought, before introducing an amendment affecting the Native race co materially, he should ha\e been consulted.

Mr O'MEARA had always opposed the Government acquiring the pre-emptive right oi Natn c land without a fair equn alent. Under the present &y&tsm the recipient of a pension was looked upon as a pauper, and the linger of scorn was pointed at him. The only v.ay to remote that stigma was to make the pensioa universal.

lVlr MONK urged a universal pension, stating that ths nacpssity for old-age pensions was the result of negligence and improvidence in the past. lie asserted that one result of the pension was that the liquor traffic of the colony had baen increased by £100,. 000 annualry. Another result which it was claimed for the old-age pension was that it would reduce the amount payable as charitable aid, but iliai had not been the ease. Mr SYM4S contended that it would be absurd to make the pension universal, as under &uch a pyptcia many people would be in receipt of a pension who did not require it. Tho Nalhco should be placed upon tko same footing as Europeans in regard to pensions, lie further asserted that it was a disgrace that there should be such a thing as a landless Native.

Mr FIELD generally supported the bill, but attacked the disadvantages at which Natives were placed. Mr T. MACKENZIE said that unless means w ere adopted to prevent imposition in obtaining the pension, the funds ,01 the colony would be overloaded to meet the demands.

Mr "W . ERA SER complained that the committee appointed to deal with the regulations under the bil 1 liaU never met, and it was unwise to pass the bill until the regulations had been framed. Old-age pensions had come to stay, but he was afraid, unless care was taken," the finances of the colony would not stand the strain. Mr HANAN wanted to see the bill put into committee., where any defects it contained could be attended to. He would like to see the- age at which a pension could be claimed reduced to 60 years and the pension inci-ea^.d to 10rf per week. . Mr ELL contended that the pension had relieved local rales to a very considerable extent. Ec heartily supported the second reading of the bill. Mr ATKINSON criticised adversely the regulations under which the pensions were given, and the machinery provided for working tLe scheme. Mr FLATMAN supported the bill. Mr SEDDON regretted that some members had simply wasted time in discussing the bill to no purpose, except to ad\erti?e themselves A? to aliens, it was partly their own fault that they were not at present in possession of the pons-ion, as they could ha^e qualified by becoming naturalised long ago. As to tho condition? imposed upon Natives prior to obtaining a pension, he said they were necessary, and he asserted that some of the Natives were divesting themselves of their interest in land in order to qualify for a pension.^ The amendments suggested by f-ome members had been suggested merely with a view to bring the Old-age Pension Act into disfavour. It was no true friend of deserving old people who advocated making the pensions universal, as if that were done the whole scheme would break down. The second reading wps carried on the voices, and tho House- went into committee on the bill Mr MONK immediately moved to report progress, urging that members were exhausted with late .sittings during the week. — The motion was lost by 37 to 14. Clause 2. — An amendment was cariied reducing the term from two to one j~ear where a person , shall not be entitled to a pension if he or she be absent from the colony during any part of tv. o years preceding the date when the act passed. Mr R. M'KENZIE moved to strike out clause 10, repealing that part of clause 63 of the act which provided that the regulations be referred to the Sessional Committee. — Carried by 26 to 25. Subsection 1, clause 2.— No Native shall be entitled to a pension unless he is landless, was struck out, on the motion of tho PREMIER, who said he would bring down an am eiidcd clause. Tho bill was reported with amendments, read a third lime, and p&asscl.