SOCIAL INSURANCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13699, 1 June 1915, Page 7

SOCIAL INSURANCE.

NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND

(Per Pirn? Association.; WELLINGTON, last night. The Hon. R. H. Rhodes, Minister m charge of the National Provident Fund, states that the membership of the fund continues to show a substantial increase. Tho number of applications for enrolment received to date has now reached IC,OOO. This number, which is, of course, not the actual membership at the present date, nevertheless indicates very plainly the excellent results attained through the present policy of lecturing and encouraging workers to join. The amount to the credit of the fund is now approaching £60,000, while, during the twelve months ending 31st De-c-ember last, maternity benefits amounting to £1644 were 'paid through the fund to contributors.

The Minister points out that the ■successful, establishment of the fumd and the rapidly increasing membership is, from a. thrift point of view, very satisfactory _ indeed, particularly as the scheme is on a voluntary basis and us still m the most difficult stage of existence — viz, the iirst five years' waiting period, at the end of which important benefits such as for incapacity and widows and children commence to he claimable. Thero can be no doubt that the fund is going to prove a. great factor m solving the problem of social insurance m New Zealand.