OUR SOCIAL CONDITIONS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 67, 9 September 1911, Page 4

OUR SOCIAL CONDITIONS

PROPOSED IM PIiOYEMFA'IX STATEM'ENT I!V TILE PREMIER. Wellington, T,a.st Night. In Iho House of Representatives last night the Premier outlined the policy of the (iovernment ,in regard to sovcrail'important deparlurns for amelioration ot the soi-i.tl conditions of (lie iico.p]e. Inter alia, he .said: The cost of living has. increased within the last few years in all countries to an alarming extent, and hii.s lieen the eau-e of much suffering and serious disturbances in many places. The cause is explained in different ways. Whatever the cause, the effect is very serious, especially on the poorer mouthers of the community. All right-thinking people are anxious t/> find a. remedy, if possible, and with this object in view a Royal t ommission to enquire into employment Wiill also fully investigate tln> matter as far as \>w Zealand concerns arc affected. INWIiA-NTE AfJAfKST UXTSMPLOYMENT. I am of opinion that the time lias arrived when a practical scheme of insurance against unemployment and sickness should lie established in this country, and to enable it to lie carried out 011 elfective linos T .propose to set up a commission of representatives of employers and employees of the Dominion to examine the scheme submitted to the, 'British Parliament by the I?i e ht lion. Lloyd-CJeorge, in order to adapt it to our circumstances and make provision for relief 011 a scale that will meet the circumstances of those who. either from sickno.-.s or other causes, find 'them-'olvca unab'e to obtain work. My idea, is that, it should be associated with friendly .societies throughout, the Dominion, and that, with the aid of the dovermnent associated with those bodies, a humane and practicable scheme' can bo adopted.

EVLAiIiCHM.F,XT OF SCOPE OF OT D AOK pr:xsro\s. The burden o,f life j„ 0 1tl ace falls most. heavily 011 men and women who havo to support, a family of voim" children. and provision will he' made that, where a woman over 45 or man over fift h.i« (wo or more children liclow 10. I proposed to a.sk the House to authorise ii pension to lie paid her or him at a rate SO por eent. higher <ihan now paid under the Old A,o>e Pensions Aet. T estimate this will cost about £IO.OOO per ii.niiiun. ARSTSTAXCB IT) WIDOWS. T propose to submit a «yslem for partin) relief of widows with children left, m poor circumstances. The amount paid will ransje from "s fid to ins for a )nd<m- weeklv. It. will ,l,e worked in conjunction with the old a«e -pension present there are nl>ont /liin widows between the a S es of Ho ami •).) in the Dominion. I estimate that, over one-third of ibis number would be snfl'inienlly provided for. and would not. I'l'iinire assistance, and as one marriage m five is infertile the number comitm under (he scheme would be about, .riflO~ T estimate the amount reiiuired for this i- abou.t £. r M.OOn per annum I^MTWTOXS. 1 lie condition of tile revenu<> warrants collections in our gift <l„t v . n< also lose connected with estate duties, when disposition of Ihe latter is to a ■stranger in blood, a.u.l I will ask the 1 lor -:» lo remove (he duty on gifts up to <:iOIK» on ..if(s f vom husband to wife and wite ■(» husband, as also from parent to cliilil. and up to t'loo op property left to a stranger („ £SOO.