DEBATE ON PENSIONS
MORE LIBERAL PAYMENT ADVOCATED MOTION TO TABLE REPORT "TALKED OUT"
When the annual report of the Pensions Department was presented yesterday by the Hon. Sir William HerriesJ Mr.T. M. Wilford (Hutt) entered a {ilea for an'increase in the old-age pension. He asked the Minister to see not only that better provision was made : for superannuated Public Servants, but that all pensioners of the State were given enough to enable them to live in these ' difficult times. Dr. A. K. Newman (Wel- : llngton 'East) pointed to tho increases made in k tho salaries of Judges and of present- menrbera of tho Public Service, and to the increase that members of the House proposed to vote themselves; and he claimed that tho country could well afford to pay bigger pensions and superannuation allowances to retired Public Servants and' pensioners generally, who should not be allowed to suffer because they were disunited, old and feeble. In the debate that followed, the suggestion was made that at least temporary measures should be taken to afford the . old people relief. If the cost of living .■fell, the.need for thesc< measures might . disappear. Most of the members who spoke expressed the conviction that there . would be no opposition from any quarter ■ to the proposal to pay larger pensions. Mention! was made of the fact that widows .earning more than a certain amount for the support of their children had their pensions reduced in consequence, and it was contended that tho restriction tended to discourage them from trying to earn money. A special appeal on behalf of the blihd vttts mafle by one or two members, who hoped that the Government would . include in the amending Bill of this sesgian some provision for those afflictcd wiflr'Mlndness.
. Wnr pensions were mentioned. Mr. T. E. Y.Seddon (Westland) recommended to the consideration of the Minister resolutions in which the R.S.A. Conference had pointed out alleged anomalies in the "payment of these pensions. Mr. J. A. Young l(W'aikato) said that Bums of money received by a widowed mother in the way of sejwration allowance should not be permitted to affect tho . amount of her pension in the\next year. The motion to table the report was "talked out," so that the Minister had no opportunity of replying. MARRIAGES AMENDMENT BILL • .COMMITTEE TO REPORT TO-DAY. To-day the Statutes Revision Committee of the Legislative Council will make its report to the Council upon t!ho Mar- ' Tiagos Amendment Bill. The principal .interest attaching to the measure is due to-the facii that when it reached the tipper Hoase certain persons suggested to Ike Statutes Revision Committee that tihe Roman Catholic Church, by refusiing to recognise tho validity of a purely civil marriage ceremony, inferentially bastardised .the issue of parents who some time after the civil ceremony of marrijjge .had been performed, went to tire church in question ito order to have tjieir union "regularised" according to tlie Teligious forms prescribed. The committee heard « eonsderable amount of evidence on the subject, and a printed report of thi.? evidence will be presented along with the recommendations of the committee regarding the Bill. IT was made clear when the Bill was last mentioned in the Council that if the> committee cons : dered tho allegations proven, legislation to meet the case would be recommended.
INCREASES IN WAR PENSIONS AN EXTRA MILLION OUT OF THE QUESTION. Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South) yesterday asked whether it was the intention 'of the Government to amend the war pensions legislation during this session, and to do away with many anomalies that now existed. Tho Minister of Defence (Sjr Heaton Rhodes) said that o. deputation of re turned soldiers had asked for a 75 per 'cent, increase in war pensions. Ho had made a rough reckoniii'g for himself, and had estimated that the amount needed to meet that request would be over <61,000,000. Before presenting the matter to Cabinet, however, he would receive a detailed statement of the increased cost. The Prime Minister (Mr. Massey) said that there would bo an amending Bill this session, but that the proposed in crease of ,1)1,000,000 or more was absolutely out of the question. MONDAY SITTINGS PARLIAMENT GETTING BUSY. ' The Prilme Minister gave noitice yesterday to move that on and after Monday next the House of Representatives should sit in the evenings for Government business only. He 6aid that) he propsed to deal with various matters of minor imnortance on Monday evenings, such as 'the disoussion of questions and notices of motion. Monday eittitngs are being commenced early this session, owing to f.he desirq of tno Primo Minister to bring tho session to a closo early hi November. PREVENTION OF DUMPING Mr. J. P. Luke (Wellington North) last night urged the Priuio Ministor to do something to prevent dumping of goods in this country. Mr. 'Massey replied that he was going to make tho attempt fitig- . gested. "It is all n question of getting through the business,' he remarked.
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 296, 8 September 1920, Page 8
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824DEBATE ON PENSIONS Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 296, 8 September 1920, Page 8
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