THE ECONOMY REPORT.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20496, 15 March 1932, Page 13

THE ECONOMY REPORT.

ECONOMIC PENSIONS.

RE-ESTABUSHMENT COMMITTEE'S ALARM. "They are far too drastic, and if carried into effect will mean a serious thing for this committee," said the acting-chairman of the Canterbury Disabled Soldiers' Civil Re-establish-raent Committee (Mr E. F. Willcox) at yesterday's meeting of that body, wlicn reference was made to the recommendations of the Economy Commission with regard to economic pensions for disabled returned soldiers, to the effect that such pensions be reduced by half iu 1932-33 and be wholly discontinued the following year. , In reply to a question, the chairman said that economic pensions enabled men to live when learning a trade at' reduced rates of x>ay while no Government subsidy was forthcoming. "In other words, it will mean that the Act under which we are in existouoe will bleak down," said Dr. D. Hi. Hansen. , ~ "It must break down," replied the chairman who added that he did not think the facts of the position were understood by the Commission when they brought down their report. _ If mad© operative the recommendations would have a tremendous effect on the work of the committee. Referring to the proposal to send mon to Keri Keri, in the North Auckland district, for tho purpose of growing tropical fruits, Mr A. Parfitt said that the scheme simply could not be proceeded • with without the payment of economic pensions; it would fall flat. Mr F. M. Robson suggested sending a deputation to Wellington on the Eventually it was decided to send a ropy of the following resolution to the Prime Minister (tho Rt. Hon; G. W. Forbes), the Minister for Finance (Hon. W. Downio Stewart), the Minister for Pensions (Hon. J. 6. Cobbe), arid the various Re-establishment Committees in other centres: "The Canterbury Disabled Soldiers' Civil Re-estab-lishment Committee views with alarm tho recommendation of the Economy Commission regarding economic pensions, and is of opinion that the withdrawal of the pension would moke inoperative the work of this committee and the working of the Act."

FREE PLACES AND BURSARIES.

Last evening, at the annual general meeting of the Christchurch. Technical College Past and Senior Students' Association, the question of the proposed economies in education was considered when, after a discussion, Mr M. 0. Ans•tiss moved: "That the Christclmrch Technical College Past and Senior Students' Association consisting of over 700 active members and representative of many thousands of ex-students of the Christtfhurch Technical High School and night classes, wish to register a respectful but emphatic protest to the Board of Governors against the following economies recently suggested by the Economy Commission set up by the Government, and to request the Board to forward same to the correct quarter: —

(1) The proposal to abolish secondary school free places for boys and girls over the age of seventeen years, as this is calculated to throw a large number of the present students on the employment market when they are quite unfitted for the present conditions, thfi proposal, therefore, definitely tending to increase unemployment in the Dominion.

(2) The proposal to abolish university bursaries as calculated to prevent a great

number of our best and most deserving students from the inestimable boon of university education. (3) The proposal to abolish free transport for pupils as a measure calculated to press more heavily upon one section of the parents than upon another _and, as such, productive of a definite differentiation between one class and another." Miss A. Hughes seconded the motion which was carried by a large majority.