SOCIAL SECURITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 August 1938, Page 7

SOCIAL SECURITY

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE YESTERDAY . DAIRY PRICES DISCUSSED. VARIATION SUGGESTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The second reading debate on the Social Security Bill, which provides for superannuation and national health services, was continued in the House of Representatives yesterday. The discussion covered much the same ground as that already traversed by speakers earlier in the debate. Consideration of the B.ill has now extended over four sittings. Eight contributions were made to the debate yesterday, bringing the total up to 28. Opposition speakers included Mr S. G. Smith (New Plymouth), who made an appeal to the Government to hold over various controversial aspects of the Bill for further consideration by next Parliament. He suggested that if this course were adopted it might be possible in the interval to devise some scheme that would have the co-opera-tioii and backing of (the friendly societies and the medical profession. It was claimed' by Mr J. A. McL. Roy (Ciutha) that the ordinary wage-earn-er would have to work for six weeks of the year solely to provide the taxes demanded of him by the Government. The Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. Langstone, was the only Minister to take part in the debate. He said the Bill would probably put an end to industrial insurance. It was the duty of the Government, he added, to organise oi’ re-arrange the national income so as to distribute it more evenly. Dr. D. G. McMillan (Dunedin West) was another Government speaker. He said that the general practitioner would be the pivot of the health service. Formal business at the commencement of the sitting occupied longer than usual. There was a good deal of. discussion on the report of a select committee on a Southland petition asking for a higher guaranteed price for dairy produce. Members of the Opposition criticised the payment of a universal price in a country as large as New Zealand. They claimed there was need for some differentiation in price to meet the different conditions that' existed in various parts of the country. The House adjourned at 10.30 p.m. until today.