SUPERANNUATION AND PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 35, 5 November 1920, Page 8

SUPERANNUATION AND PENSIONS

£50,000 FOR INCAPACITATED SOLDIERS . GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) yesterday stated in the House that considerable concern had been expressed by superannuated Public Servants about the increased allowance that was being granted them on account of the increased cost of living. It had been stated that the bonus 'would be paid up to March 81 next, and unless the Government intended to make the allowance permanent there would be a gap between that time and the time at which Parliament next met. '

Mr. Massoy replied that tho bonus in question was being paid now. He wished to tell the House plainly that he could not possibly go further than lie had proposed to go. The financial outlook .was not nearly so bright now as it had been three, or four weeks ago. He had set aside ,6100,000 fori the superannuated Public .Servants, .£50,000 to meet the needs of the Minister of Pensions, and another -£50,000 for incapacitated soldiers, whose allowance was nob enough for their needs. The financial outlook would not warrant his going any further. It might be necessary even before the end of the present session' to ask the House to consent to the raising of-another £50,000, not for this financial year, but for the next.

Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton): By way of foxation ?

Mr. Massey said there was a- method by which lie could get the £50.000 without. affecting very \ many people. Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christchurcli North): Put it on the totalisator. Mr. Sullivan nskecl whether the bonus about which he had inquired would end on March 81. Mr. Mnssey: "Yes, until Parliament meets again." If the financial position was sound then, Mr. Mnssey continued, the allowance might be renewed, but he hoped that the cost of living would have fallen sufficiently to make the renewal unnecessary. Totalisator Fractions. Mr. W. S. Glonn (Rangitikei) asked the Minister of Defence what provision was going to be made for the totally disabled soldiers. ' He said that he did not feel easy in his mind, now that the end of the session was so close, in letting tho matter rest without receiving an assurance that something would be done for these men. He was glad to hear that £50.000 was being set aside' for them. He wished to suggest that the Government should take the totalisator fractions for the benefit of the wholly incapacitated men, who certainly had a very strong claim to consideration. Sir Heaton Ylhodes replied that one of the sums of £50,000 to which the Prime Minister had just referred was primarily for the benefit of the totally disabled men. So far as the £40,000. that tho country would derive from totalisator fractions was concerned, he would be very glad to have it from the Treasurer if the -latter would give it to him. Mr. Mnssey: "I haven't got it-yet." The Prime Minister added that he had been inquiring into the matter of fractions. It would be unfair to interfere with the arrangements of the racing clubs for this financial year, but lie proposed to ask the House to give him the fractions next year. They amounted to about £42,000.1 In regard to the financial position generally, there was no need for anything like alarm or panic; but he had come to tho conclusion that the best thing to do was to avoid unnecessary expenditure. Tho first prim ciplo of good government »'ns sound finance. WORKERS'COMPENSATION AMENDMENT (NO. 2) The Hon. J. MacGregor yesterday introduced in the Legislative Council his Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill (No. 2). The measure limits'to £750.the amount of compensation recoverable in any proceedings, whether taken under the Workera' Compensation Act or at common law, in respect of the.death of a Worker, when the death is due .to the .negligence of a fellow-servant of the deceased.

Mr. MacGregor said the one clause thnt the Bill contained embodied the amendment that he had proposed when the Workers Compensation Amendment Bill introduced by the Government was before the Council. He had been told by a number of members that they would have voted for the amendment had they not feared to jeopardise the Bill. His Bill would give those members an opportunity of voting for the amendment. He moved thnt tho second reading be made an Order of the Day for to-day. Sir Frnncis Bell said he wns quite agreeable to the motion if the member would- be content to have his Bill placed at the bottom of the Order Paper. The Hon. J. Barr thought it would be a good thing to have the second reading taken a fortnight later. Tho, Bill could be dealt with on the same day as n motion of Mr. Cohen's that the Council lind shelved. (Laughter.) The Speaker observed that the Government had the arrangement of the Order Paper. Tho second reading was made an Order of tho Day for to-day PROFITABLE EMPLOYMENT FOR THE BLIND Mr. W. li. Parry (Auckland Central) yesterday asked the Minister of Education whether he would take steps in the recess to enable tlu> blind to be profitably employed. He uoted an official report to the effect that not more bhan ten por cent, of the blind in Now Zealand wcro ongaged in useful and profitable occupations. Tho Minister replied that it wns rather a large order to suggest that it was in his province to lind employment and to organise industry for every blind person in New Zealand. He referred to the good work dono in the Jubilee Institute tor the Blind in Auckland, and said that if it was possible to extend the work done there ho would lie glad to assist. The Native Washing-up Bill was yesterday put through all 'stages in the Council and passed. The House had passed the Bill on the previous night.