PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 685, 11 July 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVESMon pay, July 10. The House met at 7-30. POUT CAALJIERS HARBOR. Mr Macandrew gave notice that he would ask if the attention of the Government had been called to the necessity for deepening the harbor at the Railway Wharf, Port Chalmers, so as to enable the vessels now on their way direct from England for frozen meat to load alongside the wharf. NATIONAL INSURANCE, The Hon. Major Atkinson rose to move his resolution on the subject of National Insurance. He said it was the most important resolution he had been privileged to lay before the House. Ho would proceed to give a broad outline of the scheme, leaving details to be filled up afterwards. He claimed no originality ; the idea had originated with Mr Blackley, in England. His scheme, however, differed from the original one in one or two points, designed

to meet the requirenientsof the colony. VTr Blackley’s proposal was, that if a man remained capable of labor he should hare no right to a claim'from the fund, but hft (Major Atkinson) proposed that everyone* without distinction, should draw from the fund. The question of a remedy for the pauperism of the old country had often been raised, but it was more readily asked than answered. As the aggregate of wealth increased, so did the unevenness of its distribution. The line was being drawn sharper and sharper between the enormously rich and the extremely poor. Be the contributing causes- to poverty what they might, they did exist, and it appeared to him they were gradually advancing in this colony. The rates of charitable aid were gradually increasing in proportion to the population* and they must be prepared to see a large number of persons supported by charity, unless they devised some scheme as this. No greater calamity could befall the colony than the adoption of a system like the English poor law. It had degraded and demoralised one of the finest peasantry in the world. The next question was how could they provide for the masses without demoralising the people. The remedy appeared to him to ho co'oporfttlvs thrift' and commerce, and that to be successful would have to bo national. In that case national and compulsory insurance was the only effectual way of grappling with the evil. As regards the practicability of the scheme, there were those who thought the minimum proposed was too high. If such were shown to be the case, he would be prepared to reduce it. He fixed the minimum from enquiries made of the societies as to,the amount upon which persons could subsist. The next important matter was,'what to pay to obtain this? Every young man and woman between sixteen and twentythree. or eighteen and twenty-three, would be charged at the rate of L4l 17a Id. This would be the total contribution required to provide for sickness and old age, and it would only represent 2s 3d per week if from sixteen years, or 3s 3d if from eighteen years. If the sura was paid down at sixteen, L3B 7s would suffice to provide However, for widows' and orphans a further sum of 2s a week for five years would be required. Looking at the rate of wages and the circumstances of the colony, he believed all could without difficulty pay those sums. The question, supposing they could not pay, he discussed by stating that if such was the case, the sooner they knew it, and the fact was looked into, the better. He however, did not believe in any such doctrine of incapacity to pay. If provision was to be made it must be made while they ware young. Again, in regard to the class of young men and women who stayed at home , and earned nothing, ha had no sympathy with them. Either .the father should be in a position to pay the premium or else he should be wakened up to the importance of making these persons re- ! productive. He would be told that this scheme would apply only to persons under twenty-three, and that a large proportion of the population would be outside the ago. He would provide for the existing population over tweniy-three by ! compelling all persons above that age to provide by a payment not above L 6 a , year fora certain number of years. But he would not include females in this, and ' would leave out males over fifty who were already piovided for by being members of friendly societies. Persons over sixtyfive might he thought well bo provided for out of the Consolidated Revenue. Immigrants undertwenty-thrja would betreated ■ as other young persons were, and those ; over that age as the present inhabitants were. To carry out the scheme it would be necessary to divide the colony into districts, and the administration to a great ■ extent left in the hands of local bodies. Employers should be made responsible for the punctual payment of the premiums, and stop the amounts out of • wages. Regarding the securities to be taken, he thought Government securities and freehold properties might be taken. In that way he was sanguine that six per ; cent, would be secured, and as the tables were fixed at four per cent, they would see ■ that a considerable profit might arise- He would suggest that the sick should be looked after by an officer of the local body, assisted by district visitors. The sick list could be posted at the office of i these bodies, so as to prevent as few ■ frauds as possible. Travelling inspectors would also be necessary. He was not proposing the establishment of a large i department. He had taken all these matters into careful account, and wan convinced that no cheaper method, could be devised for avoiding a poor law. The proposal made no provision for burials, medical attendance and comforts. . It only covered the bare necessaries for existence, and left the friendly societies to look after these very necessary provisions. Blind people, imbeciles, and other uni fortuuates would have to be provided for , by the State, always supposing they Had no friends capable of paying the- premiums. Criminals, when he caught them, he would keep them until they had repaid the State. To clerks, and .the children of others in genteel employment, they should give no encouragement,"and he would not make them subjects for pity or any exemption. Small settlers WCre also a class for whom some exception might bo claimed. He argued, however, if they were not capable of paying this reasonable tax, then the sooner they discontinued such employment the batter. The whole subject was one to which ho had given deep consideration. He asked them to give it a similar share of their attention. It had been said that he proposed to make New Zealand a huge benevolent soeiety. He would only be glad if. he could even claim to have had a hand in such a great work. He was convinced it was practicable. The scheme did not meet with the approval of the House, and Mr Sheehan moved, as an amendment, in reference to it—“ That the proposal of the Government is not satisfactory.” Ultimately the debate on the question was adjourned until to-day, and the House rose at 1.35 a. m.