PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 75, Issue 6442, 5 November 1947, Page 7

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

WAR PENSIONS BILL VIEWS OF MR G. F. SIM, M.P. “I feel sure that the Minister will give sympathetic consideration to any suggestions we make for the betterment of the people under consideration, and if we can improve the War Pensions Amendment BLill in the direction of ironing out anomalies I feel we are playing our part,” said Mr G. Sim, when the Bill was before the House of Representatives. “I support what has been said as to the wiping out of the discrepancy in the payments made to the widows of officers and men who served with the forces.”

A Government member: How can we get over that now?

Mr Sim: If we face the matter resolutely I do not think it will be difficult to find a solution. I realise that some modification has been made, but I am sure a real solution could be found. The pensions outlined in this Bill have no doubt been increased largely to meet rising costs. The disability pension has not been increased, but the economic pension has. I feel in some ways that that is wrong, because those who have been disabled overseas and are on a pension of 80, 90 or 100% get the increased economic pension, but those who receive the disability pension and try to do some work have .deducted from their pension anything they may earn. Some of them ask whether it is worth their while to work when the amount is deducted off their pension. They feel they are trying to do something which is not appreciated. The amount which they should be enabled to earn should be set at a high figure, because we should encourage them to do something as they will become far better citizens by having their minds occupied. The War Amputees’ Association is a very live body, and the officials endeavour to get among the members, some of whom are double amputees, to encourage them to pull their weight in the community entirely for their own interests. By doing that they are saving the State a considerable amount of money because they are not drawing the economic pension which they could claim if they did not work. In such cases as this it would be better to be generous towards those men rather than niggardly, although I do not suggest that our pensions are poor. I think that a little incentive could be given, and the men would feel that the Government was showing appreciation for their efforts in trying to help themselves.

I would remind the House and the country that these pensions are for specific disabilities received in service overseas and are not in any way allied to social security pensions. Some people get the idea that when a war pensioner goes to the Social Security Department to get his pension that he is receiving social security, but that is not the position at all. I suggest that the men on 100% disability, and perhaps lower, should receive some consideration by way of exemption from social and national security tax paid on moneys earned by them. The precedent has been more or less established already because the 100% disabled men do not pay any social or national security tax on any unearned income they may have. The social security tax is paid on money they earn, but they do not participate in any social security benefits, and we are led to believe that the Is 6d in the £ is for that purpose, and that when we reach the age of 60 we will draw £2 5s a week or whatever the amount may be. The Minister in charge of the Bill is perhaps familiar with the suggestions I have made. I have discussed them with the War Amputees’ Association, which does not want its members to depend on an increasing scale of economic pensions, but would rather see it on the other angle, an increased basic disability pension, so that those who are prepared to work can play their part in the community and at the same time not be penalised for doing so. I hope the Minister will give consideration to the matters I have outlined.

MATTERS OF INTEREST STRESSED BY MR W. J. BROADFOOT, M.P. LAND FOR MANGAPEHI COLLIERIES “The increased duty on tobacco will not stop the ufce of tobacco,” said Mr W. J. Broadfoot, commenting on the new tobacco duty in the House of Representatives, “People will smoke just as much tobacco to-morrow as they did yesterday. Tobacco has become an essential; it has ceased to be a luxury, and the excuse of saving dollars just does not work out.” Mr Broadfoot referred to the purchase of 60 Chrysler cars, which, he said, did not show much concern for Britain. Mr W. S. Goosman (National, Piako): “They were for the Government.” ***** Information was sought by Mr W. J. Broadfoot in the House of Representatives as to what area of land was purchased for the Mangapehi collieries, and whether it was all likely to be coal-bearing. He understood that there was a fire hazard in the mine; were any of the methods that the department had been able to use likely to diminish thai hazard? The Minister of Mines (Mr McLagan): “The nature of the coal makes it peculiarly liable to spontaneous combustion.” Mr Broadfoot said that access to Te Kuiti from the colliery was nothing to be proud of. Could the Minister persuade the Minister of Works to put the road in order? There was a deposit of coal at Mokau that had been frequently reported upon, and there again the road access was a problem. Could the road known as the River Road be put in order so that lorries could go straight in to the source of the coal and so cut down handling expenses? Would the mine be classed as a small or medium one? Mr McLagan: “It does not lend itself to any big working.” Mr Broadfoot asked if the Minister would see the Minister of Works

concerning that road as well. There would be a demand for at least 15,000 or 20,000 tons a year. Were good results being obtained from the drilling operations ? Mr McLagan: “Yes, very valuable results.”

Mr Broadfoot asked if they had been obtained in the Mangapehi district.

Mr McLagan: “Not recently.” Mr Broadfoot asked if there was likely to be a big field there. Mr McLagan: “We have fair reserves of coal.”

Referring to an item on the Estimates under the heading of “accommodation for workers,” Mr W. J. Broadfoot, in the House of Representatives, said he would like to know whether the Government would assist permanent industries to provide adequate housing for their staff. He referred particularly to the lime industry. That industry had been in existence for 40 or 50 years and was likely to go on for a similar period. Assistance was given to farmers and dairy factory companies by advancing loans to them to provide such accommodation, and he asked that similar conditions be granted to the lime industry.*