PREPARING TO GIVE HELP TO POOR FAMILIES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18049, 8 January 1927, Page 1

PREPARING TO GIVE HELP TO POOR FAMILIES.

HOW THE ALLOWANCE SCHEME WILL OPERATE.

(Special to “Starr'*) WELLINGTON, January 8 With the coming into force of-'the family allowance system or* April I next, New Zealand is resuming in a modest way the programme of legislation which made so notable a c ommencement with the old-age pen- * 3,0,1 s. There will be no burden on the State finances during the current year on account of family allowances, and it is felt in responsible circles that the estimate of the cost, £2OO, though probably correct in a strict statisticaß sense, will not turn out to be greatfy over-stated, as the basis was sus return, in which incomes were only stated to within £SO per annum. When it comes to securing the family allowance, the income will require to be given to the last shilling, and the limitation is £4 per week, plus any sum payable under the Act. The allowance is to be two* shillings pc-r week for each child in a family in excess of two. if under the age o t fifteen Amid the genera! approval expressed in Parliament, there were suggestions of disappointment ovor ttie nominal amount of the pavment, some critics suggesting that it would hardly be considered worth making application. However, the formal part of the process is to be very simple, and free from any suggestion of inquisition, and it will be administered by the Pensions Department officials, who are both experienced and sympathetic in this class of work. It is an open secret in Parliamentary circles that the members of the Government Party, and the Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister of Pensions (who had charge of the preparation of the scheme), were disappointed over the disclosure that, on the statistical and the actual financial position, a two shilling allowance was all that could be provided for the initiation of the scheme. As finances improve, and the real nature of the liability becomes proved by the applications this year, no doubt Parliament will have the opportunity of extending the allowance. Getting Ready. Regulations for conducting the scheme, and the necessary forms of application, are being dratted by the Pensions Department, but are not yet ready. This, however, did not impose any difficulty when the lion. G. .1. Anderson, the Minister in charge of Pensions, was asked how the system would be worked. As an enthusiastic advocate of the family allowance, and the Ministerial pioneer in the practical work, he was read)- to explain in general terms the operation of the new scheme. "We will follow the system now’ quite familiar with various classes of pensions applications,” said the Minister, “excepting that there will be no need, as in the case of old-age and widows’ pensions, to have the claims adjudicated on by any magistrate. The Commissioner of Pensions will decide all claims, but for the convenience of applicants, the claims will require to be made to the deput'-registrars of pensions in ar • part of the Dominion, and every courthouse in New Zealand w’ill in due course receive a supply of application forms. When these are filled in, they will be forwarded to the head office, and if matters are in order, the applicant W’ill receive a certificate, as in the case of other forms of pensions, setting out that the person named therein is entitled to a monthly payment of a specified sum.

" A point which should be stressed is that applications should not be sent to the Minister, but to the nearest deputyregistrar of pensions, and that it is the father who must make the claim. However, as the Act "oes as far as possible in making sure that the allow ance is to be utilised for the benefit of children, it is the mother or guardian w’ho w’ill be specified in the certificate to receive the pavment, not the father. The allowance w’ill be paid monthly, and presentation of the certificate at a post office will enable the claimant to receive it .and also sign the receipt which must be obtained for audit purposes. The Exact Position.

“ There has been some difficulty in making clear the exact position in regard to income limitation. It is clearly indicated in the statute, but the language of an Act of Parliament is not always so clear to the layman; therefore it will be better understood if I state that the effect of the clause is that if a man has six children, four being under the age of fifteen, he would be entitled to an allowance in respect of four of them, totaling 8s per week. If his income without the allowan* e amounts to £4 Ss per week, he could not obtain the allowance, but if the income is such that, together with the allowance it does not exceed £4 8s per week, then he is entitled to the payment. There are questions to consider as to the income of the family, where older children, perhaps, are contributing to the family purse, and while I am not ready to state exactly how this point wil be dealt with until the regulations arc complete, the heads of families can be assured that the scheme will be framed on liberal lines, and that no attempt will be made, in its administration, to whittle away any benefits intended to be given to the struggling parent. The aim is to help the man on the basic wage, who is trying to up a family on a slender income. The State is going to supplement it to an extent which we all agree is very moderate to the individual though not in the aggiegate, and it will be a great satisfaction to be able to make a start along this desirable lipe.”