MUNICIPAL OLD AGE FUND.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1833, 20 August 1913, Page 8

MUNICIPAL OLD AGE FUND.

MATTER TO GO ON. Municipal superannuation eamo into the purriow of the executive of the Municipal Association of Zealand at the meeting at' the 'Town" Hall yesterday. Tho discussion was opened 1 by tho. secretary (Mr; T. F.. Martin), who reported that, when tha ■ deputation had waited on tho Minister, the latter had expressed a desire that, in tho first instance, proposals looking in the direction of superannuation should como from the association itself. Ho did not think that the Government should be called on to take the initiative. The chairman (Mr. J. P. Luke) stated that tho Minister had been very sympabut li.ia opinion was that the .municipalities should come to an understanding on the matter, develop a scheme, and submit it to the Government. They were one on tho principle that tho scheme should take cft'ect in all municipalities. 11l passing, tho Minister had given credit to Mr., E. Fletcher for his zeal in promoting the scheme that lmd been brought into existence by the. Wellington Harbour Board. Experience would show whether that scheme should continue alone or come in as part of a national scheme. His (tho speaker's) own feeling was that tho association should bring up something that would meet the aiscs of people who had given their services for tho municipalities, so that in tho declining years of their life these people would have something 1 better to look forward to than what was provided by the National Provident Fund. Mr. R. Fletcher pointed out that, when a deputation 'had previously waited on tho association, the whole desire had been to see the compulsory clause brought in by the Government. He did not think, however, that any Government would be willing to do that unless they wore prepared to subsidise tho lopal bodies. If the compulsory clause were brought in, lie thought that tho smaller local bodies might not be able to contribute, and the scheme -would consequently fall to the ground. He indicated fho course that had been followed by the Wellington Harbour Board, and remarked that he considered that the board's scheme was sound. , It seemed to him that what should be dono now was that the larger local bodies should bring forward proposals -which could be subsequently amalgamated in a national sunerannuation scheme. Mr. C. Cathie (ICarori) and Mr. W. Lock (Nelson) both approved the principle of the scheme, and agreed with tho remarks of the previous speakers as to tho effect of a compulsory clause. On the motion of the chairman, it was decided that the Legislative Committee be a commdtteo to formulate a superannuation schcmo for wibmission to the Municipal Conference, threo of tho committee to form a quorum.