SOCIAL SECURITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 May 1938, Page 8

SOCIAL SECURITY

GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS PRAISED N.Z. FEDERATION OF LABOUR STATEMENT. PRESENTED BY MR J. ROBERTS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Support for the Government’s national health, social security and superannuation scheme was expressed in a statement presented by Mr J. Roberts, on behalf of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, before the Parliamentary Select Committee. “I would say that as the years go by this scheme will be looked upon as beneficial, not only to those who receive assistance, but to the nation as a whole,” the statement said, “for in my opinion social security and national health are the first essentials towards the real prosperity and wellbeing of the people of New Zealand.”

Mr Roberts summarised his statement as follows: “A healthy people is the best asset a nation can acquire and a free health service will assist materially in preventing disease in the. first place and curing many of ire ills which people suffer today. In a country like New Zealand it is the responsibility of the community to provide the necessaries of life for those who are unable to provide for themselves, such as invalids, widows, orphans or those who are laid off work through accident or illness. The scheme makes provision that this shall be done and I do not know of one New Zealander who would object to providing sufficient food, clothing and shelter for these people. Mentally afflicted people are entitled to our fullest sympathy and consideration. I have never met a man or woman in New Zealand who would object to paying his or her contribution 'towards the proper care, treatment and general wellbeing of these men, women and children. In making proper provision for these people, the Government is, I submit, only implementing the desire of 99 per cent, of the people of this country. “For some years, State superannuation has applied to State servants and others. Why should it not now be extended to those employed in other productive, distributive and general service activities? I submit that no logical reason can be advanced why it should not. The worker who is employed by private enterprise undertakings, those engaged in distributive businesses and the many men and women who are employed in other occupations throughout the Dominion, are rendering just as valuable service to the community as State servants. There should, therefore, be no discrimination.”

“The care and wellbeing of the sick, infirm, young and aged is the common responsibility of us all,” the statement adds, “and should be borne jointly by all citizens who are in a position to bear their share of that responsibility. The. Government’s proposals for social security aim to achieve this laudable and, may I say, Christian purpose. That is why wage and salarised workers, and I believe an overwhelming majority of the people of the Dominion, support them. The family, community or State that treats womenfolk, children and the aged well, can truly call itself progressive and civilised, and its future is assured. The social security proposals of the Government will give that good treatment to women, children and old folk and will, therefore, mark another, progressive step in social legislation in New Zealand.” CONCEPTIONS OF COST. Reference to the cost of social security was made by Mr J. Roberts in his statement. “While I do not intend to challenge the figures of the actuary, Mr G. H. Maddex,” the statement says, “the fact remains that his conception of cost can be regarded as purely speculative, for no one can foretell with any degree of accuracy what is going to happen in five or ten years from now, and certainly not in forty years’ time. Cost, after all, is a relative question. The cost of social security must be paid for by the production of the people of the nation. Personally I have no doubt that if the workers are allowed access to the natural resources of New Zealand and the agencies of production generally, they can produce goods and render services that will enable the State to make provision for all the benefits proposed by the scheme. I do not know whether the Government contemplates extending these benefits to all the people of New Zealand, but I consider that if economic conditions permit it, it would be advisable to do so. I would be in favour of a scheme that would give all the people of this country a free health service and the other benefits I have already enumerated, and finally superannuation at the age of sixty. The needs of today are, however, for people who are not in receipt of an income which will enable them to provide for old age and infirmity, but there appears to me to be no reason why this should not be extended to all contributors.” POSSIBILITIES OF SAVING.

Replying to the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) at the conclusion of his statement, Mr Roberts said a man who had a family could not put anything away in many cases. Where there was a break in employment, workers had to live on credit and, when working days came back again they had to pay their debts. He did not think there were many people who could make provision for sickness, unemployment or the birth of their children. In reply to a question by the Hon. W. Nash (Minister of Finance), Mr Roberts said he did not think the average man would object to making a contribution in order to obtain social security. Mr H. Atmore: “Do you think there

should be a further reduction in working hours in New Zealand?” Mr Roberts: “I think we have gone far enough in that direction in the meantime. I would like to see an earlier retiring age.”