FAMILY BENEFIT FOR CHILDREN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 120, 27 May 1946, Page 3

FAMILY BENEFIT FOR CHILDREN

MAN’S LIABILITY FOR MAINTENANCE (P.A. Wellington, May 23. The Goverment’s intention was not that maintenance paid by a man for his child should be reduced because of the payment of the family benefit for children, said the Minister of Social Security, Hon. W. E. Parry, today. He was asked if he had seen a report of a Dunedin case in which a magistrate reduced by 10s a week the maintenance paid by a man divorced from his wife because the wife was receiving the family benefit. Mr. Parry said the decision had been noted for possible amendment to the existing legislation being brought down during the coming session. He pointed out that in the Finance Act the last provision had been made protecting orders under the Destitute Persons’ Act from reduction because of the extension of the family allowance. That this was done showed the obvious intention of the legislation. However, not all orders were made under the Destitute Persons’ Act, while the order in the Dunedin case might have been made under some other enactment. The intention of the Government was that the payment of the family benefit was not to reduce the father’s liability for maintenance.