BENEFITS TO BE DELAYED

Southland Times, Issue 23734, 4 February 1939, Page 4

BENEFITS TO BE DELAYED

Health Provisions Of Act

EXPLANATION MADE BY MINISTER

SUPERANNUATION TO START ON APRIL 1 (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 3. “It will not be possible for the necessary arrangements to be made to inaugurate the medical and allied benefits under the social security scheme on April 1,” said the Minister of Health, the Hon. P. Fraser, in an interview this evening. “The Social Secruity Act passed at last session of Parliament provides for the administration of these benefits by the Minister of Health.” Mr Fraser said that in view of the negotiation that had to take place with the medical and other professions as well as with friendly societies the inauguration of the scheme on April 1 was a physical impossibility. However, there had been and would be no unnecessary delay and the Government proposed to have the full scheme in operation on the earliest possible date. This fact, in regard to the health section of the scheme, was foreseen when the Social Security Act was passed and provision was made for the medical benefits to be inaugurated later than April 1 if that were unavoidable. This did not, of course, affect the monetary benefits such as superannuation and all ‘forms of pensions which would come into force on April 1.