QUESTION ABOUT PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 305, 18 September 1920, Page 8

QUESTION ABOUT PENSIONS

THIS SESSION'S AMENDING BILL NEEDS OF WIDOWS AND CHILDREN Three questions bearing upon amendments to the pensions scale were put .yesterday afternoon to the Minister in charge of the Department, Sir AVilliara Hemes. Mr. A. Hamilton {Wallace) said that ho understood that if Hi© holder of uil okl-ago pension was able to earn a litjblo money a deduction was niado from the ! total of his pension on account of bis ! earnings. Ho asked whether it would I not be better to allow tho holders to I earn a little, and thus meet tho high cost of living than to make a deduction from tho pensions on that account. Sir William Hemes- replied that a Pensions Bill would bo brought down in tho near future, when tho intentions of tho Government would bo revoaled. Mr. H. Poland (Ohincmuri) asked a question in regard to widows' pensions. He quoted the case where a young married man had died in Paeroa recently, leaving a, widow and three children. According to the law, the widow was entitled to recoivo M per week for the sup. port of herself and tho children. Her husband had been earning & a week, and was only just able to support his family on that amount. The rent of their house was nearly £\ a week at the present time. He asked whothcr the law could not ba amended to provide families in such circumstances with a reasonable living; from tho State. Tho Minister said that he could only answer in the same way as the previous question hnd been answered. When tho Bill was produced all theso things would be considered. It was just a question of how much could be taken from tlie Consolidated Fund for the purpose. Thev were desirous of assisting these people, but tho question was .how much money could be taken from the proceeds of taxation, ... Mr Poland: You are taking iIOO.OOO from the Consolidated Fund for the erection of a war memorial here in welling. Mr W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) asked that 'when the Bill came down consider ation should bo given to the childless widow whose health did not permit her to earn anything. The Minister said that would involve a change of policy, which lould perhaps be considered next session .when the question of an invalidity pension was under consideration. It to a matter which would have to be very carefully considered, and would perhaps be taken in connection with the National Provident Fund. That could nob be dono this session.