Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1911. THE NATIONAL PROVIDENT ACT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10190, 16 March 1911, Page 4

Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 1911. THE NATIONAL PROVIDENT ACT.

The National Provident Act, which was placed upon the Statute "Book last session, is not quite the beneficent measure that some would suppose. Apart from the doubtful advantages provided tihe worker who, from ihis limited earnings, subscribes a sum to secure maternity expenses (when all the social conditions are opposed 'to a natural increase) and certain incapacity payments which are more enectuaUy provided by the Friendly Societies, there is very little in the Act which will appeal to even the dullest intellect. There is, however, as the Rangitikei Advocate points out, a sub-section under which a contributor .may, before he reaches, the age of 45, increase his contribution from that which 'secured 10s per week pension after the age of 60, to that which will entitfe him to a pension of 40s a week. But as he would have to pay an increased contribution equal to at least one-fourth of his whole income for sixteen years

before lie began to receive pension pay, and as t'he age of 60 is not far short of the allotted span of human life, the opportunity will not be so enticing as it seems at first sight. Underlying this scheme is the desire to eventually avoid paying old age pensions—again a good thing for the Treasury. Of course, in a few isolated cases there may be survivors over 60 who will draw pensions for a number of years, but, accord'ng to the English tables of expectation of life, oat of every 1000 person® born only 182 males and 187 females are living at the age of 60, and of these 6 males and 5 females die in the 61st year; the number of deaths of course increasing at each age period. It may also be noted, that unless incapacity lasts for a longer period than three months no payment can be claimed 1 , and if it lasts for more than three months, no allowance is payable for the first three months. "Heads wo win, tails you lose" again in evidence. It also provides that the incapacity benefit shall not at any time exceed the pecuniary loss "which in the opinion of the Board the contributor has probably suffered." The word "probably" was no doubt inserted to leave this- matter entirely in the power of the Board to decide, for had the word "actual" been used instead then, the Board would have to hand over the exac't~amount. It is boasted that this precious scheme will encourage the people to "keep the cradles full." Let us see how it works if a man "lias his quiver full." ■Suppose he has eight children, and hie average earnings have, been £2 per week. The payment at 75,6 d per ..child would amount to £3, but. he would only receive the £2, though, he would still have to maintain his wife and the eight children. Presumably if any of the children were earning-anything, the tender-hearted .State-would make, a further reduction' on this account. , And the Board is the sole judge as- to what is in- . capacity, and it can compel the contributor at any time and any number of times, to submit to a medical examination. If during any week he ' happens to receive £4 he ha s short •Khrift, and gets no allowance whatever for that period. The reason ap T pears to-be that he liar, thus given' evidence that he is perilously near . becoming, that .social, pest,..the- man who receives £2OO a year, who is excluded participating iij this jex- - tremely. benevolent, charitable, and just scheme.