LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11733, 10 September 1902, Page 5

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, September 9. The Council met at 2.30. Leave of absence for 14 days was granted to the Hon. W. Kelly. * The following Bills were received from the Lower Chamber, and! read a first time —Birds Nuisance, Share Brokers, Fisheries Encouragement and Opiumi Prohibition Act Amendment. The Land Transfer Act Amendment Bill was committed and' reported with amendments. The Manual and Technical Instruction BiH waa> committed and reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. The Hon. W. C. Walker, in moving the seooind reading of the Government Railways Superannuation Fund Bill, said there were really only two points for the Council to consider at this juncture—'Was the establishment of the fund c>irable, and was the scheme financially sound: The Hon. McLean said the principle of establishing these funds might be a very good one, but the point that required most careful csonsiderao'oi"; was, How much of this sort, of tiling could tLe colony stand? *He support the measure, as it helped those who were willing to. help themselves.

The Hon. Rigg hoped the Bill meant the establishment' of a superannuation fund in every bran2:l of tLe iJcvcniueiit service. He, however did not thir.k this scheme was a'perfect or.r>, «nd lie considered that no man who contributed to tlhe fund should be dppriv»d cf ihe right of getting back that money with interest thereon. Mr. Rigg further cc mplaihed that no provision was made for the wife and family of a man who died after he became entitled to superannuation.

. The Hon. Bolt supported tl«c Bill, which he described as a kind of old a^e pensions scheme based on the mutual fund system, such a system as tie hvj advocated for the old age ipensions scheme itself when it was before the Couiuil. In this connection he urged the G.v/ersimoal- to set aside 1a large endowment of Iwvtn land for the benefit of old age pensions.

The Hon. Twomey denied that this was a, kind of old! age pension schswio. Tt Vas an insurance fund, to which the V>onofici:i:ies themselives were the contributors. He thought the raiwa- employees should have greater representation on the Board >f Control.

Tike Hon. Marshall suggorted the Bill, and considered! tihat 'assistance should be given to those -who were -willing to: help themselves. It "would orf-y be a matter of years when the" fund would! be self-sup-porting. The Hon. Lee-Smith said the scheme was nob based on souncT. advice. It looked very much like a leap in the'dark. For instance, there were, apparently, 200 men over 60 years of age whio could retire now after joiningl the fund, and enjoy the full benefits of the scheme. Some different provision- should be made and the rate of payments to the fund should be graded so that the amount paid would be inlcreased year by year according to the age at which a contributor went in. The Hon. Jenkinsooii thought the Bill should be. sent to the Labour Bills Committee. One podrib that would have to be made clear before the Bill left the Council waa as to the iposition of servants of a compan~ which might be taken over by the Government. He thought there should be an actuarial examination made as to the position of the fundi every three years, and a report presented to Parliament. He protested against a man dismissed for misconduct being deprived altogether of the money he had! paid into the fund. The Hon. Colonel Pitt also thought the Bill should be referred to a committee. He sought infoimiiation a*» to the meaning of clause 26, which ujtovides that the scheme may be modified. The debate was adjourned on the motion of the Minister. The Council rose at 4.35 p.m.