"PENSIONS NEED REVIEW”

Taranaki Daily News, 17 July 1929, Page 11

"PENSIONS NEED REVIEW”

DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. (By Wire —Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. The question of improvements in pensions legislation was discussed briefly by the Minister in charge of the Pensions Department, the Hon. W. A. Veitch, in the House of Representatives this afternoon in replying to the debate on the presentation of the pensions report. It could not be said that the system was not capable of improvement, he said, though much had been done by Parliament already to remove the anomalies and extend the benefits and notwithstanding all the disabilities that might be complained of, New Zealand had a pensions system of which she might be proud. In proof of his assertion that the pensions law was being sympathetically administered Mr. Veitch said that during the past year the net pensions expenditure had increased by £108,053. New Zealand could afford the money. It had not been the policy of the Government to cut down expenses by withholding pensions. Touching on the question of pensions reciprocity with other countries the Minister said he had been in correspondence in the matter, but nothing had been finalised. Even if an agreement had been reached the Government would have to seriously consider. the financial position before coming to any decision. Tho ideal thing would be Empire reciprocity, but that could not be regarded as practical for the moment as the cost would be far beyond the resources of New Zealand and the other countries within tho Empire.

The fact that there was a new Government in the Old Country might produce a different attitude at Home in regard to reciprocal pensions. If all the increases in pensions which members asked for were granted the cost to the country would be staggering, and he would not say there was any possibility of an increase being made in the near future. The Government must take the responsibility for making pensions advances according to the circumstances of the day. Of all the improvements that were being advocated the one that appealed to him most was that of invalid pensions. The Government did not intend to economise at the expense of pensioners.

Mr. T. M. Wilford, Minister in charge of war pensions, said that all on the Government benches. agreed that tho whole pensions system must be reviewed in the near future. A blind soldier, because he was receiving a small income from money invested, lost the allowance that otherwise he would get for his children. Tho law should be altered and the thing should be done in one big Bill. He would make recommendations to Cabinet in that respect. Pensions reciprocity between Britain and New Zealand must be brought about in the near future. The former Minister of Pensions, Mr. G. J. Anderson, had. made some move in regard to altering the pensions system but a great deal had yet to be done before any proposals could be brought before the House.

Regarding the attributability of war service, Mr. Wilford said he had given instructions that local doctors attending cases should give their opinion before decisions were reached.