SYRIANS AND THE OLD-AGE PENSION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 264, 4 August 1919, Page 3

SYRIANS AND THE OLD-AGE PENSION

AMENDMENT OF THE ACT SOUGHT

A deputation of Syrians from different parts of New Zealand, introduced by Mr. P. .T. O'Bcgan, waited upon the Hon. Arthur M. Myers, Minister of Pensions, and urged that Syrians should be allowed to receive benefits' provided by tho i Pensions Act, 1918.. Mr. O'Regan stilted that ho wished to bring under vJio notice of the Minister, find, through him, of tho Government, the injustice to the Syrian community in New Zealand which ho considered had been done quite inadvertently by section 71 of tho Pensions Act, 1913. In this section it sets out those persons who are ineligible to receive pensions, and amongst others,- Chinese and other Asiatics, are mentioned. He contended that when this section of the Act was considered by Parliament, the- Syrian race was not in the minds of tho House. Tlio matter had been brought up as the outcome of a case recently decided by one of the Magistrates, in'which a pension was refused the widow of a Syrian who had been naturalised for twenty-three years, and who died last year leaving seven children to the care of the widow, who was iu poor circumstances. Mr. O'Regan pointed out that the Magistrate said he was reluctantly compelled to decline to grant the pension. It was urged that, in view of tho fact that Parliament is reassembling shortly, the question of introducing legislation to amend the Act. in 60 far as the Syrian community was concerned, should be given careful consideration. Mr. O'Regan further stated that the Syrian community compared favourably as regards citizenship with other residents in New Zealand. It comprised some four hundred families, most of whom were'naturalised, and lie considered they should not be precluded from 'tho privilegss granted by the Pensions Act where in all other respect* they were eligible to receive pensions. A member of the deputation pointed out that in other cases, such as the Immigration Act, Syrians wero not classed as Asiatics, and he contended they should not be considered so in the Pensions Act. The population of Syria was only about tlirco and a hall' to four millious, rind therefore there was no danger of their coming to the country in large numbers. Tho main reason why they \v{so representing their case was for the benefit of the future generation of Syrians iborn in this country, and who would grow up with it. > Tho Minister in reply stated that' ho was uleased to receive the deputation, and that as the Act at present precluded Syrians from receiving the privileges provided under it, lie would have pleasure in placing the matter before his colleagues at. tho earliest possible moment, with a view to giving consideration to the question of amending the Act to meet the requests of the deputation.