MAORI WELFARE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 70, Issue 81, 13 June 1944, Page 5

MAORI WELFARE

HON. W. E. PARRY'S ASSURANCE SOCIAL SECURITY PRIVILEGES In an address delivered at Waimana to the Tuhoe natives on Wed- j nesd'ay, the Minister of Social Security, the Hon. W. B. Parry} dealt fully with the Social Security Act as it affects the Maoris and the necessity for more production by all classes of the community in order that the. basis of the. act may be preserved and its benefits extended. The objective of the Social Security Act was, firstly to ensure people against unemployment and to secure full employment to all eligible I for work, the Minister said. The Act provided security against want and destitution in old age, invalidity,. widowhood, wife desertion, j orphan-hood, blindness, illness, maternity endowment of motherhood, free medical and hospital treatment together with an emergency benefit to any citizen whose circumstances were such that help was needed. There were approximately 200,000 beneficiaries that came under this legislation, with a national pay out. of approximately £12,000,000. With the health benefits added the total pay out amounted to about £18,000,000 this year. The money to make good this responsibility undertaken by the Government was provided from all wages, salaries and incomes of the pakeha as well as the Maori. All adult people were being taxed 1/in the pound as a levy together with about £4,000,000 by way of a contribution from the consolidated fund. Improved Benefits Desired "To maintain and still further improve the benefits of this Act, is the objective of the Labour Government, the cost of the improvements must be based upon the increased production of the country," said Mr Parry. "We must all work, and work Ave.ll in order that the highest possible .standard of living shall be attained by our people and we must, carry the spirit of goodwill and enthusiasm into our work. "This great responsibility rests on the shoulders of every man and woman in the nation, pakeha and Maori alike. We must be honest and straightforward with one another. We must see our fellow men do not make use of the proceeds from this great humanitarian Act in a way that is contrary to and a violation of the spirit under v/hich the Act emerged.

"The Maori people are to-day on an equal footing with the pakeha. The Maori has equality under Social Security sickness and health bene- 1 fits, equal wages, equal treatment in war pensions and rehabilitation. The Maori has his representation in the. Parliament of his country, and a say in the Laws that are made. In that way equality is established, between pakeha and Maori. "Therefore responsibility for the economic and financial advancement of New Zealand in the. future should be as wholeheartedly entered into by both peoples, as they have been in the defence of the country. "The. greater the increase in production the greater the distribution. There is only one avenue from which this increase can come and that is by the joint efforts of both races applied to the natural resources of this country. There, is no other way. There is no short cut. to a real high standard of living other than the production of goods, and an equitable distribution of them among the people. This means work and cooperation. "A high standard of living must include good housing conditions, education and cultural facilities with healthy working conditions for those who do the manual and mental work of the nation. There must also; be a free organisation of the proper use of leisure and travel, so that the foundations of our living standards will reflect a healthy physical, spiritual and moral well-being among our people. "It is this condition for all our people that this Government asks the. people both pakeha and Maori to work for. If we enter into this great' job as both peoples have enj tercd into the defence of the country nothing can stop us from achieving the goal aimed at," concluded the Minister.