SOCIAL BENEFITS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 107, 18 February 1950, Page 6

SOCIAL BENEFITS

RECIPROCITY HOPES NEW ZEALAND AND BRITAIN (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 17. A hope that reciprocity in the field of age, widows' and orphans’* benefits between Britain and New Zealand would be accomplished was expressed by the Minister of Social Security (the Hon. J. T. Watts) in a statement this afternoon. Mr Watts said that reciprocity had already been achieved in the field of family benefits and allowances, and he would like to see this principle extended to other classes of benefits. Persons wishing to move between New Zealand and Britain could then do so freely without fear that they would' lose their rights to pensions and benefits in either country. Mr Watts said ho realised the difficulties in reaching such agreement. In the United Kingdom the rights to pensions ark in general determined according to the number of contributions made by the applicant or her husband to tne National Insurance Fund. *ln converse the rights to benefits in New Zealand- N are deter, mined by residence In New Zealand and, in some cases, by the income and property of the applicant. It will be gathered that to arrive at a common basis for reciprocal agreement, keeping in mind the large disparity in the rates of benefits and pensions in the two countries ,is a most difficult task. It is fortunate that Messrs Dennys and Knowles, two senior administra tive officers of the United Kingdom Government, are attending a conference of social security experts in Wellington. The chairman of the Social Security Commission (Mr B. F. Waters) will discuss with the British representatives on an administrative level the possibility of dovetailing the rights and privileges to pensions and benefits which, in the two countries, are on an almost entirely different basis,” concluded the Minister. The feasability of paying social security benefits by 'cheque or warrant is being investigated, said Mr Wdtts, He had asked the department to prepare a report for him and had also discussed the matter with the departmental officers. He said that no decision could be made until he received the report and gave it careful study. Mr Watts to-day presided at the quarterly meting of the Board of Health in order to gain an understanding of the working of the Board. He afterwards praised the work of the Board in keeping in close touch with local bodies.