ALLOWANCES TO FAMILIES.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 January 1927, Page 4

ALLOWANCES TO FAMILIES.

THE NEW SYSTEM. HOW IT WILL OPERATE. WELLINGTON. January 8-j With the coming into force of tho family allowance system on April 1 next, New Zealand is resuming in a modest way the programme of social legislation which made so noticeable a commencement with the old-age pensions. There will be no burden on the State finances during the current year on account of family allowances, and it is felt in responsible circles that the estimate of the cost, £200,000, will not turn out to be greatly over-stated, as the basis was the census return, in which incomes were only stated to within £SO per annum. AVlien it comes to securing the family allowance, the income will require to he stated to tlhe lasi, shilling, and the limitation is £! per week, plus any sum payable under the Act.

The allowance is to he two shillings per week for each child in a family in excess of two, if under the age of fifteen. Amid the general approval expressed in Parliament, there were suggestions of disappointment, over the nominal amount of the payment, some critics suggesting that it would hardly bo considered worth making application. However, the formal part of the process is to be very simple, and free from any suggestion of inquisition, and it will lie administered by the Pensions Department officials, who are both experienced and sympathetic in this class ol work. It is an open secret in Parliamentary circles that tlhe lion. G. •). Anderson, .Minister of Pensions (who had charge of the preparation of the aenemo), was disappointed over the disclosure that, on the statistical and the actual' financial position, a, two shilling allowance was all that could lie provided for the initiation of the scheme. As tinam-es improve, and the real nature of the liability becomes proved by the applications this year, no doubt Parliament will have ill? opportunity of extending the allow-

GETTING READY. Regulations for conducting the scheme, and the necessary forms of application, are being drafted by the Pensions Department, but are not yet. ready. This, however, did not. impose any difficulty when the Hon. G. -T. Anderson, the .Minister in Charge of Pensions, was asked how the system would tie worked. As an enthusiastic advocate of the family allowance, and the .Ministerial pioneer in the practical work, he was ready to explain in. general terms the operation of the new scheme.

"We will follow tlie system now quite familiar with various classes ot pensions applications.” said the Minister, “excepting that there will he no need, us in the ease of old-age and widows' pensions to have the claims adjudicated oil by a magistrate. -The Commissioner of Pensions will decide all claims, hut for the convenience of applicants. the claims will require to fie mad? to the deputy-registrar of pensions in any naif of the Dominion, and every courthouse in New Zealand will in due course receive a supply of application forms. When these are filled in. they v, ill he forwarded to the head office, and if matters are in order, tho applicant will receive a certificate, as in the case of other forms of pension.-, setting out I hat the person named therein is entitled to a monthly payment of a specified sum. " A point which should lie stressed is that applications should not lie sent „o Hie .Minister, hut to the nearest deputyregistrar of pensions, and that it is the father who must make the claim. However, as the Act goes as far as possible in making sure that the allowance is to lie utilised for (lie benefit of children, it is the mother or guardian who will he specified ill the certificate to receive the payment, not the father. The allowance will lie naiil monthly, and presentation of the certificate at a pnsL office will enable the claimant to receive it. and also sign the receipt which must he obtained for audit pur-

; | TilF EXACT POSITION. . j ” There has been sonic difficulty in ; making clear the exact position in reI ganl to income limitation. L is clear- . Iv indicated in the statute, lint the I language of an Act of Parliament is not always so clear to the layman; therefore it will lie better understood if I state that the effect of the clause is . - that if a man has six children, four ho- ' ing under the age of fifteen, lie would | ha entitled to an allowance in respect of four of them, totalling Ss per week. If hi- income withuut the allowance amount- to £4 Ms per weelc, lie ennlil m.i obtain the allowance, hut if the income i: -ncli thai. together with the allowance it dues not exceed C 1 9s per I \teek, then lie is entitled to the payj ment. Thera are questions to consider | as to the income of the family, where older children, perhaps, are eontribut- ! ing to the family purse, and while I am not ready to state exactly how this point will lie dealt with until the regulations are complete, the heads of families can ho assured that the scheme will ho framed on liberal lines, and that no attempt will he made, in its administration, to whittle away any benefits intended to he given to the struggling parent. 'Hie aim is to help the man on the basic wage, who is trying to bring up ; family on a slender income. The State is going lo supplement it to an extent which, we all agree is very moderate to the individual though not in the aggregate, and it will he a great satisfaction to be able to make a start along this desirable line.”