Untitled

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4190, 29 May 1939, Page 4

Ah innovation during the concert by the. Rqyal Auckland Male Choir in Te Awamutu on Saturday evening was the introduction to the audience of three members with over forty years’ membership. Mr S. J- Harbutt, who is chairman-of the Auckland Electric Power Board and himself a member since 1896, introduced Messrs Wm. Gedige and Alfred Trenwith (original members, having joined in 1892, and Mr John McCoskrie (1895)- The audience accorded each one hearty applause. During consideration by a local body in this district of Social Security legislation it was mentioned that a peculiar position appeared in that anyone claiming sick pay under the Social Security provisions must first lodge a claim, with full information as to the nature of the illness or incapacitation. before the payment began. Therefore payment was not obtainable, even though a person was stricken down with illness, until a doctor’s certificate was obtained, and payment began only from the date of receipt .of the particulars by the nearest Social Security office. It would seem, therefore, that when one became ill a doctor should be promptly called in. If the illness was, or became, serious all right ( in the matter of a -claim), but if the indisposition was only temporary the sufferer had himself to pay the doctor’s fee. But in any case liability on the fund was not recognised until after the first seven days of illness—after receipt'of the notification of illness.