SOCIAL SECURITY REGISTER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 May 1940, Page 7

SOCIAL SECURITY REGISTER

REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW. Despite the wide publicity that has been given to the matter, the question, who is required to register under the Social Security scheme is one which is now frequently asked and one that it is very easy to answer. The reply is “Every person, male or female, who is ordinarily resident in New Zealand and who is sixteen years of age or more. There is no upper age limit. The very few exceptions, which do not concern the ordinary citizen, are—the Governor-General and full-time official representatives of overseas countries.

It may be asked why elderly persons are required to register and this is an aspect of the matter which would have a good deal of point if the Register which is now being compiled were for man-power purposes only. As its name indicates, however, the Register is also for Social Security purposes and will be an invaluable aid to the authorities in determining matters of policy. A modern population-trend is that at one end of the scale persons are living to a greater age ■ and, at the other end, proportionately fewer arebeing born, with the consequence that the age-constitution of the population is undergoing a slow but definite change. It will be obvious that, in' connection with the administration of the Social Security Scheme of contributions and benefits this is one of the most important matters on which the Government must be fully advised.