NATIONAL INCOME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 August 1938, Page 7

NATIONAL INCOME

WHAT WE LIKE TO MAKE IT ACCORDING TO MINISTER FOR LANDS EVEN SPREAD ADVOCATED (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “The Social Security Bill will probably put an end to industrial insurance, and that will be a very good thing,” said the Minister of Lands, the Hon F. Langstone, during the second reading debate on the Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday. “Not one good word,’/ said the Minister, “can be said for this particular class of insurance.” The people ■ of New Zealand, said Mr Langstone, had endeavoured to guard themselves against poverty in their old age, but they had failed lamentably because of financial slumps artificially created and unnecessarily forced upon the country by the Opposition when it was in power. The member for Christchurch North, Mr S. G. Holland, had stated that the Government should make sure that there was sufficient income to support its social security scheme. “The income of the country is what the people like to make it,” said Mr Langstone. “There is really no limit. It is a question of adjusting the real value of different groups of goods within the • community so that there is uniformity of values for the service rendered by the people in the various groups. The income must be spread evenly among the community. That is not being done today.

PRODUCTION AND INCOMfe “There are some groups in the community who are receiving a tremendous income out of all relation to the value they create or produce. There are other groups who give great economic value but who are not being recompensed to the extent they should. It is the duty of the Government to organise or rearrange the national income more evenly.” The Rt Hon J. G. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara): “What is considered a fair incpme?” t Mr Langstone: “If it were left to the; honourable gentleman to place an income on himself there, would be such a disparity in values that I am certain he would not agree to it.” Mr J. Hargest (Opposition, Awarua): “That is another way of saying you don’t know.” Mr Langstone said the Opposition wanted to exempt those belonging to friendly societies and superannuation schemes from the Government’s social security scheme. However, he did not think there was a working class member of a friendly society who was not going to receive some immediate benefit from the sickness or cash benefits provided for in the present scheme. RAILWAY SUPERANNUITANTS An examination of the figures showed that 70 per cent of railway superannuitants were receiving less than £4 a week, said the Minister. These people would receive cash benefits from the social security fund as well as medical benefits. Every member of their family would also be entitled to medical benefits. Less than £3 a week was received by 43 per cent of the railway superannuitants. All of these people would receive £1 a week or more from the fund.” Mr Holland: “These figures apply only to married men.” Mr. Langstone: “Most of mem are married, and those are the people 1 am discussing.” There were, said Mr Langstone, 1979 males receiving superannuation from the Public Service Superannuation Fund. Of that number 1023 or 51 pei cent were receiving less thap £4 a week No measure introduced in this country had met with more widespread approval. The Australian scheme was a poor, miserable, sterile thing compared with the Government’s scheme.