WIDOWS' PENSIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1919, Page 5

WIDOWS' PENSIONS.

A HOSTILE AMENDMENT CQVERNMENT PROMISE TO LEGISLATE. ~ By Wiro-HOfWn Correspondent. Wellington, Last Night. • The question of widows 'pensions and of pensions generally held the attention of the Hou&; for several hours to-day. Members on alijgides of the House took an opportunity" provided by the Estimates to urge the Government to increase the widows' pension. They stated that the present rates were inadequate, even, in the case of the epidemic pensions, and that actual hardship was being suffered by many widows and orphans. Hon. Herries said that the whole question of pensions had been considered by the Government which felt that the old age, widows, and military pensions were not matters that should be dealt with by a moribund Parliament. The new Parliament would deal with the matter, and, in the meantime, the war bonuses would be continued. ■ '. i Hon, 6. W. Russell moved to reduce the vote by £l, as an indication that the pensions paid to ordinary widows ought to be increased to the level of the epidemic widows' pension. ' He said he had intended, when Minister for Public Health, to propose this reform. The widows' pensions cost £120,000 last year, and the Treasurer had been able to show a surplus of five millions. The country had plenty of money and the hardships of the widows and orphans ought not "to remain unabated until next year. The Prime Minister said he was sorry that Mr Russell, who had been a Minister only a few weeks previously, had moved, a motion with the object of placing the Government in a difficulty. The hon. member was well aware that last year's surplus had : not been £5,000,000, but £3,600,000, and that since then the expenditure of the country had increased bv over £4,000,000 a year. Where did 'that place the Government! The Government had felt that it was merely doing its duty in making as generous an allowance as the country could afford to the dependent!!"* of the victims of the influenza epidemic. The cost had been large, but the Government had accepted the recommenda-. tions made at that time by Mr. Russell? himself. Then, during the war, the Government had increased the whole of the pensions by about fifty per cent. He had told the House already that a proposal was being brought down for increased pensions for msn suffering from miners' disease. The Government meant to do the right thing and was doing bo in somewhat difficult Circumstances. The Government intended to deal with the pensions question sympathetically. It was only a question of when. Bid' Mr Russeli know what his proposal, if adopted, 'would cost? The official estimate was £280,000 a year. People hnd got ifttd, the habit of talking in millions, hut that money would have to be found. •>

Mr. Semplc: Put the load on the backs of those well able to bear it. Mr. Masspy: That is always done. 1 agree with that. In other words, every person should contribute to the expenditure of the country, in proportion to his ability to do so. There are some people who cannot afford to contribute anything. There are- some people who are not paying as much as they should today, and there are some people who are paying too much. * I recognise that a revision of our whole system of taxation is necessary, but we cannot undertake that during the present session. Already there are members who have informed me they intend to leave for their homes soon. Wc cannot keep this House sitting for much more than throe weeks longer. It would be unfair and unreasonable to do that. Is the honor, able member who has moved this amendment prepared to sit here till Christmas, and usk the Governor-General to extend the period of Parliament so that the elections can be postponed to next year?

Mr. Russell: I am prepared to sit as long as is necessary to do the country's, business.

Mr Massey: If members think that, let them say so. We have quite enough business to keep us going until the end of the year, but that would mean postponing the elections until February or March. The Government and the House, in the time available this session, could not deal with a proposal that would involve the readjustment of the country's taxation, and a general survey of pensions.

Mr. Russell: You can get all the mor.ey yon want if you increase the death duties.

Mr. Massey: Exactly, by legislationHe believed it would be necessary for Parliament to meet early next year no matter what Government was in office. Mr. Russell: What better than to increase the death duties and use the moi.ey for the widows and children? Sir Joseph Ward: You have got to wait until, the people die before you get the death duties.

Mr. Massey: Members of the Government are just as sympathetic as private members or the people of the country, and are just as anxious to do what is right, but there is the position. We must either asked the Governro-General to extend the life of Parliament, or we must allow some of this legislation to stand over until the new Parliament meets early in the new year. After further discussion, Mr Herries said lie was prepared to recommend Cabinet to take the matter into consideration, but it was not right for the House to try to force upon the Government an amendment involving the recasting of the estimates. If the Government yielded on this point it would be asked next to increase the old a*e pension. He would put the matter before Cabinet and see what could be done.

_ Mr Russell said this promise was too indefinite. What was the Minister prepared to offer?

Air Mnssey reminded the HoiWe that one of his first tasks as Prime" Minister had been to improve the widows' pension. He agreed there were anomalies. The matter would go before Cabinet, but he could not promise it would be dealt with this session. He would promise that if there was time he woujd recommend his colleagues to deal with the matter.

Sir Joseph Ward told the .House he was in favor of improving widows' pensions, and also other pensions, but he did not approve of raising pensions without providing the finance required. The old age pension must rise with the widows' pension, and' he did not, believe there Mao'time this session, with the general election ahead, to revise the or .nu-v' taxirtion. 1-- •discussion continued, lata. istQ tht

m Speaking after 11 p.m., Mr Poluh|,| warmly rejected the plea of lack '««J time. The House, lie said, hod tin* tttlf deal with university Bills and Bills, but it was told it had not tuoZ'J to lift a burden, of hardship Iron hajjK3 1e99 women and children. "J * Sir Jaa. Allen told the House im'i the present Pensions Bill was j 000 per year. There was no ■urjMll'.l concealed in the estimates. This increase in expenditure already > £3,777,000. He bad been' told the ftM-'i $ plementary estimates might add aaotfl er million to that. Where did t&& 3 House think aH this money wai oomWg yl from. ■ , " !'«?

At midnight, Mr. Russell withdrew lfa'% amendment. He said he would MMjpt '* tho assurance of Ministers that (btttV j thing would be done for the widow*,.ln, >' view of the expression of opinipa by tke -<* House. t- .7 "*V".'.