HUMANITARIAN LEGISLATION

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 34, 8 February 1913, Page 7

HUMANITARIAN LEGISLATION

NATIONAL PROVIDENT FU3NT>.

OFFICIAL LECTURER IN

BLENHEIM.

There never was an age when the value of the human unit to the body politio was greater than it is now. Humanitarianism is gripping even Russia, which has inaugurated an accident insurance* system for workmen, and is aiming at a reform of its present police system. German^ has long since had its State life insurance and sick and unemployment insurance. France is endeavoring to abolish sweating, and is increasing the compensation paid to workers for accident. Italy lias a State monopoly of life insurance, the profits of which are used to help to provide old age pensions. Italy also desires to adopt universal suffrage. Servia has fixed 10 hours a« a. day's work, and has instituted abritration courts; child labor is also to be limited. Great Britain has adopted a national scheme of insurance against sickness and unemployment. . Australia gives a bonus of £6 on the birth of a child, but New Zealand leads with the most liberal humanitarian scheme on any Statute Book in the world by means of its National Provident Fund, in connection with which the official lecturer and representative (Mr R. 0. O'Connor, of Wellington) is now in Blenheim.' The Government officer has been on tour of ths Dominion for twelve months, and ho has been well received by employers and the workers generally, and th-o number of enrolments received has been very satisfactory. Mr O'Connor states that many business men throughout tho Dominion have voluntarily closed down their businesses for twenty minutes in order that all their workmen might have thia beneficent scheme explained to them. The leading business firms in Blenheim have been written to by Mr O'Connor's Department, asking for lecturing facilities during the luncheon or any other suitable hour, and he anticipates as hearty a response here as has been given elsewhere. The >S»tate subsidises contributions paid in by making a payment _of. 25 per cent, into the fund. The

: expenses, and in other ways helps the i fund, which is not and never will bo

I self-supporting. The idea of the Ad ': is to encourage thrift among the i workers, and to'help persons rearing : famlilies, and to induce people to pro- ; vide for old age. A unique eonce,seesion is the return of all contributions, less the amount of benefits , received. A contributor, if unable to meet Jiis payments, is allowed IS months' arrears, when, if he cannot meet his obligations, ho has his con- : tributions lefunded, and he then i ceases to be a member. The follow- ,' ing are the benefits payable: (1) J .contributing for 12 months, a payj ment not exceeding £6 for medical j attendance and nursing on the birth |of a. contributor's child. (2) After contributing for five .years, an allowance after three months' incapacity to work, of 7s 6d per week for each child of a contributor under 14 years of age; payable independent of any allowance due from friendly societies. (3) On reaching 60, a pension of 103, 20s. 30s, or 40s a week; payment of this pension w^ill not affect any rights under tho Old Age Pensions Act. (4) After contributing for five years, an allowance on the death of a'contrihii-

tor of 7s 6d per week for each child under 1-1 years of age, and 7s 6d for the widow so long as any child is under 14 years of age. Any resident of New Zealand may become a contributor who is over 16s and under 4o years of age, providing that his ancomei has not averaged more than £200 per year during the last three years. A subsequent increase over that sum only disqualifies the contributor in respect of the maternity payment. Trlr O'Connor will be present at the local Post Office this evening and every evening next week, between 7 and 8 o'clock, to see the public who may be interested.