SOCIAL SECURITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 April 1941, Page 7

SOCIAL SECURITY

GOVERNMENT SCHEME BENEFITS OUTLINED. ADDRESS TO LABOUR PARTY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Benefits provided under the Social Security scheme were reviewed by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, addressing the New Zealand Labour Party at its annual conference in Wellington yesterday. He said: “There were 66,694 age benefits in March, 1939; today there are 97,314. In the same period the number of widows receiving benefits has increased from 5196 to 10,656. The number of invalids receiving benefits has actually gone down a little, but this is the result of many invalids becoming eligible for age benefits and transferring to that class. Universal superannuation began last year, and already 36,104 people are receiving benefits. The raising of the income level from £4 to £5 a week and the payment of allowance on the second instead of the third child, has meant that many more people have become eligible for family benefits, which have risen from 5606 under the old system to 16,644 today. “Of the health benefits provided for in the Social Security. Act, the Government is now within sight of providing all the benefits that were originally contemplated. Free treatment at hospitals and mental hospitals has been provided, and already 209.000 people have received free treatment at public hospitals. For the maternity benefits all but two hospitals have come within the scheme, and all the doctors except five. Altogether, 53,240 mothers have received maternity benefits. A beginning has been made with the general practitioner service. Out-patients may receive free treatment, and it is probable that additional free services will be made available next month. Pharmacy benefits will be- announced shortly.”