PAYMENT OF BONUSES

Taranaki Daily News, 29 March 1932, Page 7

PAYMENT OF BONUSES

HINT OF CANCELLATION. ADDITION TO PENSIONS. An indication of the Government’s future policy regarding the cost of living bonuses received by superannuitants getting less than £lOO yearly was sought in the House of Representatives last week by Mr. Walter Nash (LabourHutt), who asked Mr. Forbes an urgent question on the subject. Mr. Nash asked the Prime Minister whether he would advise the superannuitants, who 1 were recently circularised concerning the cost of living bonus, that nothing would be done until Parliament had considered the question and" that their payments would be' made until a definite decision had been made one way or another.

Mr. Nash said the circular stated that the Secretary to the Treasury had advised that the bonuses expired on March 31 and that the question of their continuance had been considered by the Cabinet. which had decided that the question was to stand over. Accordingly,, no further payments were to be made after the end of this month. The Prime Minister said the cost-of-living bonus was granted for six-monthly periods and, under that system, would expire on March 31. The question whether bonuses were to be continued would be considered by the Government after the National Expenditure Commission had submitted its final report. Mr. P. Fraser (Labour —Wlelington Central) said there were many cases of hardship. He asked whether the Prime Minister would consider each case on its merits and not cancel all payments without discrimination.

' The Prime Minister said that aspect of the question would receive the Cabinet’s consideration. , •