SOCIAL SECURITY
Office Arrangements And Staffing PAYMENT OF BENEFITS Registrars And District Agents Appointed Arrangements for the administration of the Social Security Act, which is to come into operation ou April 1, were outlined by the Minister of Social Security. Mr. Nash, He said that all preparations had been made for the start of payment of benefits under the Act on that date. “The present old-age pensions, widows’ pensions, invalidity pensions, miners’ pensions, family allowances, Maori War pensions and sustenance will cease as at March 31 and will be replaced by benefits under the Social Security Act ofilApril 1." said Mr. Nash. “It is not necessary tor recipients of these pensions and allowances to make new applications as the department bus instructions to make the necessary adjustments and to pay the increased amount without any application from the beneficiaries. The new benefits to become payable from April 1 are sickness benefits, orphans’ benefits and emergency benefits and the necessary forms for making application for those benefits and for new applications for the other benefits are available at all Post Offices.” Registrars Appointed. Mr. Nash said the department has appointed registrars iu M hangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Paeroa, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Palmerston North, Masterton, Wellington, Blenheim, Nelson. Greymouth. Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin and Invercargill and district agents in Kaitaia, Kaikohe, Dargaville, Pukekohe, Te Kuiti, Taumaruuui, Thames, Tauranga, Whakatane, Wutroa, Hastings, Waipukurau, Stratford. Hawera, Taihape, Dannevirke, Feilding. Levin, Hutt Valley, Hokitika, Westport. Rangiora, Waimate, Ashburton. Oamaru, Alexandra, Gore, Riverton and Queenstown.
The other towns, of the Dominion would be served by the appointment of 391 postmasters who would act as reporting and registration officers and would accept applications on behalf of the registrars and district agents. In many of the towns where registrars and district agents had been appointed, new premises had been necessary and the Government bad acquired the property’ either ou lease or by purchase. In practically every town concerned it was expected that the premises would be open for’ business on April'l and this, in itself, represented a tremendous amount of work on the part of the Social Security Department and the Public Works Department in making the necessary alterations and supplying the fittings aud furniture. Delay in Cities. z , In four cities some delay had been inevitable because of the particular circumstances involved. In Auckland, the premises of the Social Security Department were at present occupied by the State Five and Accident Insurance Office, which, could not move till its own new premises had been fitted up. This would be finalized very shortly but, in rhe meantime, the business of the Social Security Department would be carried out iu the present Pensions Office and Labour Department’s Office in that city. In ’ Palmerston North additional space was required and the completion would be delayed till early in May. The Social Security Department’s business would be transacted at the offices at present occupied by the Pensions Department and the Labour Department. “In Wellington,” said Mr. Nash, “the head office of the Social Security Department will occupy the new building on Aotea Quay, which will be opened on March 27. The building on Jervois Quay at present occupied by the Pensions Department will become the district Social Security Office for Wellington, but some alteration will be necessary which will take possibly a few days in April. In the meantime local business of the department iu Wellington will be carried on at the employment office of the Labour Department and the district office of the Pensions Department. “Some difficulty has been experienced in arranging suitable accommodation in Dunedin, but a suitable building is under consideration, and finality should be reached very shortly. Pending the establishment of a special social security office in the southern city, the Social Security Department will use the present offices occupied by the Pensions Department and the Employment Branch of the Labour Department. Executive Staff Appointed. “All the necessary executive staff of the department has been appointed and, where transfers to other towns are involved, these are now occurring. The work of preparing the necessary forms and making the arrangements for accommodation aud personnel has involved a very heavy task on the part of the chairman of the Social Security Commission, Mr. J. ii. Boyes, and the staff, and they deserve every credit for the excellent way in which the preparation has been made. “In this connexion I would also mention that the Land and Income Tax Department has had a similar task in regard to the facilities for payment of the registration fees and the contribution of 1/- in the'f, and has been equally successful in making the necessary arrangements. The Government printing office has come in for a great deal of urgent printing of forms, pamphlets and other necessary stationery, and has very successfully and efficiently met the dejpand.”
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Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 152, 23 March 1939, Page 11
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804SOCIAL SECURITY Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 152, 23 March 1939, Page 11
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