SECURITY BILL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 August 1938, Page 6

SECURITY BILL

SECOND READING DEBATE IN HOUSE MINISTER AND OPPOSITION LEADER IDEAS MUCH AT VARIANCE (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The second reading debate on the Social Security Bill was commenced in the House of Representatives last night,, when the opening speeches were listened to by crowded galleries. In moving the second reading of the Bill the Minister of Finance, the Hon W. Nash, said the progress of the last 40 years was in fact the foundation of the legislation dealing with superannuation and a health service. The Minister spoke for one hour and threequarters, and was followed by the Leader of the Opposition the Hon Adam Hamilton, who was still speaking when the adjournment was taken at 10.30 p.m., an hour and a quarter later.

Mr Nash said he estimated the total cost of the scheme for 1939-40 at £16,610,000, but from a close survey he had come to the conclusion that that sum could not come to charge next year and had arbitrarily reduced the figure to £15,000,000. Against that there was the estimated return of £500,000 from the registration levy, and £8,000,000 from’the wage-tax of Is in the pound. From the present revenue, for the benefits as proposed in the Bill, there was already a charge of £15,135,000, which left £1,365,000 to be found. The danger of the Government’s scheme breaking down under its own weight was referred to by Mr Hamilton. He said the Government was imposing a burden of taxation on the country that made investment of capital in industry unattractive and perilous and so retarded development. The more one looked at the financial part of the Government’s plan the more it looked like a gigantic puzzle. No provision was made in the Bill for unemployment relief. New Zealand had a hospital service unsurpassed anywhere in the The pi’oposals would involve an increased expenditure of £8,850,000 on existing health and pension services. The Government was building up a huge scheme of expenditure and commitments.