PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1512, 7 August 1912, Page 5

PENSIONS.

I IMPORTANT PROPOSALS. WOMEN, INVALIDS, AND OLD SOLDIERS. It is proposed that in future the administration of all New Zealand pensions shall be placed under one head. In accordance with the promises made by tho Government in the past, an amendment to the Old Agp Pensions Act providing' for the payment of pensions to women at Hic.'ago nf sixty years will be circulated this fiction. Commencing at the age of GO year.-, pensions would be paid on the following scale:—Maximum pension at age CO year?, '.£2l; age fil year.-, .£22; age l>2 years, ,& ; age Iffl years, ,£2l; a;;e (II ytavt, ,£25; a.go lis years. ,£2li. Tim total number of women who, will 'bo afforded relief under this new proposal is estimated at about 10,300. In addition to the above proposal tho Government has under consideration an Invalids Pensions Kill, which is designed for the purpose of assisting those, unfortunates who liavo been permanently incapacitated for work either by accidc.it or-by reason of being invalids, and who are not in receipt of either an old age pension or o widow's pension. Widows Pensions Act. An amending Bill will bo introduced extending the bancfits conferred by the Widows Pensions Act of last year to any woman whose husband is an inmato of a mental hospital within tho inclining of the Mental Defectives Act, 1911. Payment on account of children born, out of New Zealand, bnt whose parents worn, at the time of their birth; domiciled in New Zealand, will also be provided for. Strong feeling Living been nviurwl in coruiretion with the Military Pension's .Act of 1911, Trhinh compelled many of the old soldiers desirous of obtaining a mili-

tary pension to comply with the condition! of the Old Age Tensions Act as well as tin conditions of the Military Tensions Act the matter is being carefully inquired iuti by the Government, and legislation will b< submitted during this session to reiuedj the present condition of affairs. An important nmemiment to the Na tional Provident Fund Act is a1.?6 iimloi consideration making specific provision foi tile co-operative action of employers am employees for the purpose of insurinj workers iu groups. COOK ISLANDS. HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND OTIIEH MATTEKS. It is the intention of tho Government to make some endeavour to improve the health of the natives of the Cook Islands, and so- protect the race, by having qualified nurses .stationed on each islanc when tho population warrants tho adoption of this course. As I have already stat cd, arrangements are being made'to-es-tablish wireless telegraphy at tho islaiu of Rarotonga, and it is hoped that it ma,\ be possible to establish' communication with Panning Island, tho cable station ir the Pacific. As soon as time will permit, the Government intends to consider the educational system of the Islands, and hopes to placp it upon more advanced and progressive lines. A new Resident Comwill shortly be appointed tc nil tho place of Captain Smith, whose seryjces have been retained in Wellington t r n , se I ,!,rat P antl better managcmenl pi the 7 Cook.lsland affairs. It is intended that tne future Commissioner shall have no dealings with the Native Land Court, "1".-:.. w ;«n tins end in view, it has been decided to appoint a Judge to preside when necessary in connection with court "inltors. A Bill to consolidate and validate the Island Council's enactments will be introduced during the present (session. THE MAGISTRATES. TO BE PLACED ON A BETTER FOOTING. An 'attempt will be made during the next session of Parliament to place the Stipendiary Magistrates of the Dominion upon a more satisfactory footing. The responsible nature of the duties performed by these gentlemen warrants the State in paying adequate salaries. In some cases they are underpaid, and no fixed principle appoais to have been laid down tor regulating the annual increment which the habit of years has led them to expect. For the thirty magistrutes at present employed by the ■ State, there are ten different grades of salaries. To place the Magisterial Bench in the same position as Judges of the Supreme Court is not in tho existing circumstances practicable; but there is no reason why the magistrates should not be classified inli,, say, two. or three divisions, appropriate salaries being fixed by law for those in each division, and the present objectionable system of voting annual increases on the estimates abolished. Such a system would help to.remove existing anomalies and any discontent which may exist at the present time, and it would probably induce more men of experience and ability to offer their services as magistrates. THE MINING INDUSTRY. SYMPATHETIC ATTENTION. The gold-mining industry, which has been such a potent factor in the past in promoting: the prosperity of New Zealand, will have the sympathetic attention of the Government, and assistance will bo afforded wherever if can be demonstrated to bo genuinely ne«dfd. Tho same remarks apply to coal-mining. The enormous deposits of coal that are known to exist in various parts of the Dominion should prove a great source of wealth in the future, and are worthy of being effectively developed. State Coal Mines. The Under-Sccretary of Mines, on August 1, 1012, reported as follows:— The time has now arrived, however, when further capital should bo authorised, and it is accordingly proposed to insert a clause in this years Coal-mines Amendment Bill to sanction tho raising of another .£IOO,OOO, partly for the purpose of paying the balance of the cost of tho development-works at the new mine and partly for repaying to the account the amount that appears in the-balance-sheet as sinking and reserve funds and profit, but which has actually been expended in development-works at the new mine." Regarding the question whether the assets are worth their book value or not, he states that.a revaluation is now being made.by the officers in charge of each mine and depot. Personally, the t'nileiv Secretary considers that "the depots, hulks, etc., are probably full value for the araouut3 now appearing against them, but-the old mines and the briquette-works doubtless are not. The deficiency, however, wijl probably not be more than about JinO.OOO, so that, even though the amount standing iu the balance-sheet as unallocited profits (.£50,648 lls. Id.) may have to be written off to covor this deficiency, tho Department will still probably'have the sinking and reserve funds intact, as well as having written down the capital in the form of 'depreciation' by over .£55,000." The whole question will be fully dealt with when the report on the revaluation is handed to the Government.. ■ HIGH COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE. THOROUGH REORGANISATION. The Government finds that it has not hitherto been the practice to print the annual reports of the High Commissioner on the general business of his office. As details of loan transactions are not included in the subject-matter of such reports, but are'separately dealt with, tho Government has decided to have the material parts of the report for the year ending March 31, 1012, printed for the use of honourable members; and in future years the same course will bo adopted. Honourable members will be enabled to appreciate llii! methods of business and tho cost of management as detailed by the lato High Commissioner, and to follow more Tca:li"iy nny proposals which may bo made by the Government or by the new High Commissioner when lie assumes control. . • ■ The number of the London staff under the. High Commissioner has increased since the year 1902 from> nineteen to fortyeight. The Government has. not yet had sufficient opportunity of estimating tho advantages of recent transfers of highsalaried officers from New Zealand to the London staff, nor of the increase in* tho expenditure, but is already satisfied that a thorough reorganisation of the system of the office is required, and must be tho first business undertaken bv the now High. Commissioner under the direction of the Government. ■

MENTAL, HOSPITALS. VIGOROUS'BUILDING PBOGKAMME. Owin? to the large increase in the number of patients during th-d 'last ftiw years, there has been some overcrowding in our mental hospitals, but active steps have been taken to overcome this. Including the temporary accommodation which has been provided at Alotuihi for sixty-one males, the aggregate sleeping accommodation for males at the mental 'hospitals is. now just sufficient for tho j number if patients. There is still some . overcrowding on the femnlo side, but I building are in progress, and "will shnrt- '' Iy be completed, which will relievo tin's, j and give some accommodation to spare. ! Building are in com , ." , of erection on the ni.uv mental-hospital Mte at Tnkanui, and Hin Government will purfiic a vigorous •building programme in anticipation of tiro nnlural increase in the number of mental defectives. PUBLIC HEALTH. NEEDS OF THE' BACK BLOCKS. li'j the matter of public health, hospitals, ami charitable aid, the Government proposes to carry out a policy adapted to tho ever-increasing requirements of the country. Owing to tho fact that many of our older lio&piUils have bwvi built of wood, there i= likely to bo a considerable incrta-o in the expenditure on buildings during: the next few years. Xor do the increasing needs of the country render probable any substantial reduction in thfl cost of hospital maintenance. The Government has in contemplation en extension .of nur St. Helens hospitals, anil the. ncjflih'oii'of ni.itsrnity wards to some cf bur most cotrrenientlr titunttd . wuatry hessitals. Br the:* m»»ns it

will also be possible to increase the year!} supply of trained midlives who are especially needed in the more remote pariof the Dominion. It k also proposed ir subsidise- medical associations with n vie« to encouraging efficient.and active modi cal men ty settle in the backblocks. Campaign Against Tuberculosis. It is hoped tbnl, with the assittanct of the Hospital Boards, an effective earn paign against tuberculosis may bo begur during the year; at the same time it V recognised that more stringent precaution' must be taken to prevent consumptive iiit migrants from landing on these, shore? find that provision must be made for th< detention of refractory consumptive |>allcuts wlio, to the danger of Ihc public, re fiifc to conform to the precautions con sidored noec.-sary to prevenl the spreat' of that di.-eaie.' As regards measures necessary in the in forest? of the Native race, the registration of Nnfive births and death: is o] paramount importance, and legislation tc provide for (his is urgently required. Bj this means it may be possible to stem thi Maori infantile mortality, cheek the prac tices of tolmngas, and ascertain ti: what extent tuberculosis is responsible foi Maori deaths. The excellent work don't by district nurses among the Maoris encourages the Government to make additional appointments. The system of subsidising medical men for service in thibranch will also be gone into with c view to placing it on a more comprehensive basis. DEFENCE. ALTERATION IX THE LAW. A ery satisfactory progress has been mad< under the.new Act, and the success oi the new scheme of defence may nov.- be considered assured. The task of inaugurating the new scheme has been no lizht one, and considerable care is being exercised in dealing with the many intricacies that have arisen since its initiation, It has.been found necessary to have certain amendments to the Act made to simplify procedure, and still further'amendments may be required as the scheme develops. In (his connection I would state tor the information of honourable members that it lias been decided that imprisonment in connection with non-registra-tion will not be resorted to if it can be avoided. An -alteration in the law will be asked for whereby military detention may be substituted. The House will be asked to approve this amendment at an early opportunity, together with other amendment which, as our experience of the past year has shown us, are necessary to assure' the proper working of the scheme. No Great Hardship. Every effort has been made in the direction of meeting the wishes of employers as well as employees, and it may truly be said that no great hardship has be-en felt by any of the business firms in the Dominion who employ a largo number of hands; through the absence, of their employees while undergoing the training laid down in accordance with the Act. ■I venture to express the opinion (hat as time goes on every young New ■Zealander will learn to take his military training as a part of his citizenship, so that,'if at any time the necessity should unhappily arise, every man will be found qualifkil to assist in the defence of his country from foreign aggression. ' The volunteers have been previously thanked for their services in connection with the defences of this Dominion, and it would, indeed, be impassible adequately -to acknowlcdse the additional debt which Tvew Zealand owes to those officers, non-commissioned officers, aiid men who have remained in the force, ami have given their valuable services towards helping to make the new scheme a success. LIGHTHOUSES. ' EFFECTIVE I.TOTITTXG OF THE COAST. _The question of effective lighting on the New Zealand coast lias been impressed upon the Government, mid close attention is being paid to the matter at the present time. Tho action of the previous Administration in agreeing to the erection of a light iu tho vicinity of Terawhiti \has been confirmed by the Government, whilst the proposal to erect, a new lighthouse at the North Cape, which was aereed to bjour predecessors, has been temporarily held over, owing to the strong representations which have'been made as to the advisability of the light beiug erected upon the Three Kings.