RECIPROCAL PENSIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 226, 24 September 1938, Page 7

RECIPROCAL PENSIONS

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. PROVISION MADE IN FEDERAL BUDGET. I Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND. Sept. 22. The cabled intimation that reciprocal old age and invalid pensions between Australia and New Zealand are provided in the Federal Budget," said the Minister of Pensions. Hon. W. E. Parry, to-day. "will make heartening reading for many New Zealanders and Australians residing in both countries.” Mr. Parry recalled an interesting conference with Australian Ministers at Canberra in February last, quoting the proposals placed before the Commonwealth Government as the basis or discussion. The Minister said that

the principal part of the agreement come to was:— (1) In the case of an applicant who is eligible otherwise than by residence on or before January 1. 1939, for the Commonwealth pension and who has been resident in the Commonwealth for 12 months immediately preceding his application, residence in New Zealand to count as residence in the Commonwealth. (2) In the case of applicant who is eligible otherwise than by residence on or before January 1, 1939, for a New Zealand pension and who has been resident in New Zealand for 12 months immediately preceding his application, residence in the Commonwealth to count as residence in New Zealand; (3) Each country to accept financial liability in proportion to the respective period of qualifying residence by the pensioner in each country as at the date of the first grant of the pension, in the event of a person in receipt of a reciprocal pension becoming eligible by

residence for a pension in the country in which he is residing, the full financial liaibility to be then taken by that country, the same undertaking to apply to invalid pensions. Mr. Parry said tha. the Government had received to-day the following cablegram from the Australian Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons: "Referring to the recent conference in Canberra on reciprocity of New Zealand and Commonwealth invalid and old age pensions, a draft agreement is now being prepared on the general lines of our discussions in Canberra last February. You will be further advised at the earliest possible moment.”