Cash Benefits – Early Schemes

SOCIAL SECURITY

by George James Brocklehurst, B.COM., A.R.A.N.Z., Chairman, Social Security Commission, and Secretary for War Pensions, Wellington.

Cash Benefits – Early Schemes

Social Security in New Zealand may be regarded as having originated with the passing of the Old Age Pensions Act of 1898 which provided, out of general taxation, small monthly pensions for the deserving aged and poor. This was a new departure in social legislation, and was based on the idea that the State had some responsibility for those citizens whose own efforts were not enough to keep them from poverty in their old age. The measure was the first of its kind in any British country and was the foundation stone of the welfare state. The amount of the pension was small, £18 a year to applicants who could pass stringent tests, including public inquiry, to prove that their income was less than £34 a year and their property not more than £50, that they were 65 years of age and over, and had been in New Zealand for 25 years. As the years passed and national prosperity increased, successive amendments raised the amount of pension and liberalised the conditions. Parallel with this liberalisation of the old age pension was the introduction of the pension principle to widows with children (1911), Maori war veterans (1912), miners unable to work because of phthisis (1915), and blind people (1924). Two years later the Family Allowances Act gave some relief to the poor by authorising a small weekly allowance for the maintenance of each child in excess of two, provided that the total family income did not exceed a prescribed amount.

The original pension amounts were small and the conditions stringent but, as with old age pensions, the amounts were progressively increased, eligibility was widened, and conditions became more liberal. The provisions for widows were extended to the wives of incurable mental patients. Restrictions on payments for illegitimate children, stepchildren, and children born out of New Zealand were removed in 1912. In the same year the pension paid in respect of the children of a widow was continued to the guardian in the event of the widow's death, thus setting a precedent for the orphan's benefit, which was introduced in the Social Security Act of 1938. In 1936 invalidity pensions were introduced for those over 16 years old who were permanently incapacitated for work because of accident, illness, or congenital defect. This new pension was modelled on, and absorbed, the blind pension introduced in 1924. The payments were comparable to those made to old age pensioners. All restrictions formerly applicable against Asians and people naturalised for less than a year, were removed. Thus the way was cleared for the comprehensive social security legislation of 1938.

Scope of Legislation of 1938

Although the Social Security Act of 1938 was built on schemes which had been evolved over a period of 40 years, it went considerably further by increasing existing benefits on a more uniform pattern, in making qualifying conditions less restrictive, and in creating new classes of benefits. Those responsible for the formulation of the social security scheme in New Zealand rejected the insurance concept and accepted the care and welfare of citizens as a national responsibility. Thus there was no matching of benefits with contributions; hence contribution to the Social Security Fund is not a condition for the receipt of a benefit. The restrictions which had hedged the granting of pensions had caused many people to feel that pensions were a form of charity. The term “pensions” had grown to be somewhat distasteful and was dropped in favour of “benefits”. Thus age pensions became age benefits, widows' pensions became widows' benefits, and so on.

A national social security consciousness had been growing steadily over the years, of which the Social Security Act of 1938 can be regarded as an expression. It should be noted, however, that this growth took place at two critical periods shortly prior to 1898 and 1938 when the country was recovering from, and still had memories of, very severe economic crises, which resulted in real hardship in the community.

Until 1938 New Zealand's pensions were confined to the aged, invalids, the blind, widows, and miners, with a limited system of family allowances. The Social Security Act introduced a new concept—namely, that every citizen had a right to a reasonable standard of living and that it was a community responsibility to ensure that its members were safeguarded against the economic ills from which they could not protect themselves. The inspiration of the Social Security Act was the determination to end poverty in New Zealand. A comprehensive system of benefits was thus established covering all the main economic hazards which in the past had been the cause of poverty. The Act of 1938 had three main objects: to substitute for the existing system of non-contributory pensions a system of monetary benefits to which citizens would contribute according to their means and from which they could draw according to their need; to provide a universal superannuation; and to inaugurate a universal system of medical care benefits.

The Act established a department of State called the Social Security Department under the control of a commission comprising not more than three members to administer the monetary benefits provisions, while the medical care benefits were to be administered by the Department of Health. Expenditure for cash benefits, health services and administration was to be financed on a current cost basis from the Social Security Fund which receives the yield from a 7 ½ per cent social security income tax on wages, salaries, and other income and grants from general taxation.

There are 10 different monetary benefits as follows:

  1. Superannuation benefit. This benefit, which is not subject to a means test, is payable to those attaining the age of 65 years and satisfying a residence condition which requires 20 years' residence in New Zealand immediately preceding application or, if actually resident on 15 March 1938, a term of 10 years.

  2. Age benefit. Subject to a means test, this benefit is payable to those attaining the age of 60 years or, for an unmarried woman unable to undertake regular employment, 55 years. The residence qualification is the same as for the superannuation benefit.

  3. Widows' benefit. Subject to a means test, this benefit is payable to a widow with a dependent child or children born in New Zealand or while the mother was temporarily absent from New Zealand. A widow who no longer has a dependent child or who has never had a child may qualify if she fulfils certain conditions as to age, duration of marriage, and residence. Married women who have been deserted by their husbands may qualify for benefit as though they were widows. For a married woman whose husband has been receiving treatment in a mental hospital for a period of six months or more, a special benefit is provided at the same rate and subject to the same residential and other qualifications as a widows' benefit. For the first six months of treatment, a benefit may be paid to the wife under the sickness or emergency benefits provisions

  4. Orphans' benefit. Subject to a means test, payment is made in respect of a child both of whose parents are deceased. Payment is made to the age of 16 years but may be continued to the end of the calendar year of the orphan's attaining 18 years, provided he remains at school. The residence requirement is met if the orphan were born in New Zealand or if its last surviving parent were resident in New Zealand for at least three years preceding death.

  5. Family benefit. Irrespective of means, this is payable in respect of a child under the age of 16 years. Payment may be extended to the end of the year of attaining the age of 18 years if the child continues education as a full-time student, or if he is totally incapacitated from earning a living. Benefit is normally paid to the mother, either in cash or by credit to her Post Office Savings Bank account, unless it is considered that it should be paid to the father or some other person having the care and control of the child.

    Effective from 1 October 1958, a new provision enabled payment to be made for up to 52 weeks in advance on the birth of the first child of a marriage or in respect of a child commencing his first year of post-primary education.

  6. Invalids' benefit. Subject to a means test, this benefit is for permanent incapacity for work or total blindness. An applicant must be at least 16 years of age and not qualified to receive an age benefit. An applicant is residentially qualified whose incapacity arose in New Zealand or who was resident in New Zealand on 4 September 1936 and has lived in New Zealand for at least 10 years immediately preceding the date of application, otherwise 20 years' residence is required. There is a right of appeal to a board of three registered medical practitioners against refusal of an application or cancellation of a benefit on medical grounds.

  7. Miners' benefit. This is payable, without a means test, to a person who has been employed as a miner in New Zealand for not less than two and a half years and who has resided in New Zealand for not less than five years immediately preceding application and, through having contracted miner's phthisis or other occupational disease associated with mining, or heart disease, is permanently incapacitated for work. Appeal rights are the same as for invalids' benefits. A benefit, free of means test, is provided for the widow of a person who dies while in receipt of a miner's benefit and a grant may be made in respect of the funeral expenses.

  8. Sickness benefit. Subject to a means test, this is payable in respect of temporary incapacity for work through sickness or accident but, in general, is not payable for the first seven days of incapacity. In order to qualify, an applicant must be not less than 16 years of age, must have suffered a loss of salary, wages, or other earnings, and have resided in New Zealand for at least 12 months. The rate of benefit cannot exceed the loss of earnings through incapacity.

  9. Unemployment benefit. Subject to a means test, this is payable to a person 16 years of age and over who has been in New Zealand for at least 12 months and is unemployed, is capable of and willing to undertake suitable work, and has taken reasonable steps to secure employment. A waiting period of seven days is normally imposed but benefit may be deferred for up to six weeks or terminated if the applicant has voluntarily become unemployed without just cause, has lost his employment through misconduct, or has failed to accept any offer of suitable employment.

  10. Emergency benefit. This is available where refusal of an application for one or other of the above-described benefits would cause hardship. Experience in the administration of pensions legislation prior to 1939 had shown that many people were denied assistance because they did not fully meet the requirements of the existing law and so could not qualify for State aid. The bulk of the people concerned were those who were medically unfit for sustained work or were not available for gainful employment and unable to earn a sufficient livelihood. The Social Security Act made provision for this wide and undefined class of person through the provision of an emergency benefit. In each case the amount of benefit and conditions attaching to the grant of benefit are determined by the Social Security Commission. The benefit was designed to cover any person who was not qualified to receive any other cash benefit under the Act but who, by reason of age, physical or mental disability, or for any other reason, was unable to earn a sufficient livelihood for himself and his dependants.

No two cash benefits, except a family benefit and one other, can be received concurrently.

Means Test Limits

Prior to 12 October 1960 all benefits (other than superannuation, miners', and family benefit) were paid subject to a means test on income, with age, invalids', and unemployment benefits having an additional capital (or property) test. All reference to the capital test was, however, repealed in 1960, and, currently, benefits are subject to a test on income only. In general, an applicant may have an income of £208 a year (same for married couple between them) or £4 a week without benefit being reduced. In the case, however, of an orphan's benefit, the allowable income is only £52 a year. For a widow supporting a dependent child or children under 16 years, the allowable income has been increased to £312 a year or 6 a week.

Income from an age, invalid's, widow's, or sickness benefit, sick pay from a friendly society up to £52 a year or 1 a week, or a like benefit from any other source, is disregarded. The personal earnings of a totally blind beneficiary are disregarded in the computation of any means test benefit, as are the personal earnings of any woman up to £78 a year from domestic or nursing services in any private home, hospital, home for the care of the aged, or other charitable organisation. A war disablement pension or war widow's pension under the War Pensions Act 1954 is not regarded as income.

Any deduction from an age benefit on account of excess income may be diminished by £6 10s. for each year that application has been deferred between the ages of 60 and 65, during which the applicant was qualified to receive age benefit on residential grounds. The concession does not apply until age 65 and is limited to a maximum of £32 10s.

Special Welfare Services and Provisions

Supplementary Assistance. A supplementary assistance scheme was inaugurated in 1951 and applies to persons, whether recipients of statutory benefits or not, whose resources are insufficient for the adequate maintenance of themselves and their families and who are unable to help themselves. While the scale of benefits provided by the legislation may be regarded as comparatively generous and in most cases reasonably adequate for subsistence, it was felt that something more was needed to help those whose special circumstances required a greater measure of financial assistance. Exceptional circumstances in certain cases demand a greater measure of financial support, and this is given by means of supplementary allowances which have regard not only to the resources of applicants but also to financial needs. In general, there are two main types of grant. Where continuing commitments such as rent, food, and fuel are in excess of income, a continuing grant may be made to assist in meeting these recurring and necessary commitments. On the other hand, some non-recurring expense is satisfied by the grant of a lump sum. Continuing grants are usually limited to 35s. a week for unmarried persons and 50s. a week for married couples. Higher rates are paid where justified.

Home Help. To meet the need of aged and sick people of limited means having difficulty in obtaining or paying for essential home help, a service is operated to provide experienced helpers and, according to the financial circumstances of the persons helped, to pay the whole or part of the cost of such help.

Advances for Home Maintenance. Beneficiaries and war pensioners who, due to inadequate financial resources, are unable to carry out maintenance and repair work urgently needed to their homes, may receive advances up to £200 to enable essential work to be done. An advance is made on the security of the home property, and repayment is not required until death of the beneficiary or, if married, of the surviving spouse, or until the earlier disposal of the home. The worry that many old people have in adequately maintaining their properties has consequently been removed in many cases.

Capitalisation of Family Benefit. As adequate housing is a basic pre-requisite for social security, legislative provision was made through the Family Benefits (Home Ownership) Act of 1958 for family benefits to be capitalised and paid in advance to assist parents to own their own homes, to make alterations to existing homes to accommodate larger families and, under certain conditions, to pay off or reduce existing mortgages. Capitalisation is not allowed on the first year of the life of a child or in respect of any period beyond the age of 16 years. The maximum capitalised value of benefit from the age of one year until the age of 16 is £473 16s. Application may be made to capitalise the benefit for any number of children in a family, but in no case can the capitalised amount exceed £1,000 or be less than £200. The purposes for which capitalisation may be approved are:

To erect or purchase a new home; to repay, under certain conditions, mortgages or debts owing on the family home at 1 January 1959; to meet the cost of alterations or additions to a home already owned in order to provide essential living accommodation for the family; to purchase land from the Crown with a dwelling thereon.

Benefit may be capitalised only if the beneficiary (usually the mother) is the sole owner of the property or if the property is settled jointly in the names of husband and wife. In general, the advance is automatically cleared when the child whose benefit has been capitalised reaches the age of 16 years, provided the property has continued to be used as a family home. If, however, circumstances arise whereby the benefit, if it had not been capitalised, would cease to be payable and the property ceases to be used as a family home (e.g. sold or let), reimbursement of the advance will be required. If the child dies within one year of the date of capitalisation, the advance remains as a charge on the property until such time as reimbursement may be required, but if the child dies more than one year after the date of capitalisation, reimbursement will not be required. Applicants for capitalisation must satisfy two main considerations -(a) need of a home, (b) need of financial assistance to help to meet the cost of a home. This measure was primarily designed to promote family welfare.

Counselling and Advice Service. Many people in times of stress due to bereavement, age, sickness, or other circumstances, do not always know the appropriate agency or person to approach with their particular problems and consequently are often denied the help to which they are entitled. Counselling officers have been appointed in each main office to provide a sympathetic service to those whose personal problems are causing distress. Officers of the Department, by reason of their close contacts with all classes of citizens, their wide general knowledge, and liaison with other Government Departments and voluntary organisations, are frequently able to offer helpful advice and service on matters of general welfare besides those with which the Department is directly concerned. Care is taken to ensure that in any case where the problem is one for which specialised knowledge or training is required, the person concerned is referred to the appropriate agency or organisation.

Social Workers. Over the last few years there has been a change in the character and function of the Department. Whereas in former years it was an organisation providing, through the Social Security and War Pensions Acts, standard rates of benefits and pensions to those statutorily entitled to them, irrespective of their commitments, the emphasis in more recent years has been in meeting the needs of the people, having regard to their individual commitments through the provision of cash assistance supplementary to the normal social security benefits, war pensions, and allowances.

With these two approaches to financial security being well established, it has been found necessary to develop a third avenue of approach. The coverage available to the community through a system which provides adequate financial assistance, according to needs as well as means, has established the desirability of focusing attention on the problems of the individuals which become apparent through investigations into their financial needs. Many people come to the Department in times of need and anxiety and are often emotionally distressed: mismanagement, frustration, and ignorance are all factors which militate against security, and an endeavour to counteract these factors by developing more personal contacts has been made by the appointment of trained social workers who bring a more human element into the administration of the law. Social workers can often recognise and define problems which are not always evident to the layman and, if the social security services cannot offer solutions, cases are referred to other appropriate specialised agencies.

Reciprocity With Other Countries

For age and invalids' benefits there has been reciprocity between New Zealand and the Commonwealth of Australia since 1943. Reciprocal arrangements were widened in scope from 1 July 1948 when an agreement came into operation covering not only age and invalids', but also widows', family, unemployment, and sickness benefits and the related Australian social service pensions and allowances. By virtue of the agreement, persons leaving Australia to reside permanently in New Zealand are entitled to have birth and residence in Australia accepted as birth and residence in New Zealand for the purpose of qualifying for social security benefits covered by the agreement. Similarly, persons leaving New Zealand for residence in Australia have birth and residence accepted in determining eligibility for the appropriate Australian pension. For short visits to either country, benefits may be paid by the host country on an agency basis for the period of the visit.

Children moving between New Zealand on the one hand and Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the other, have been provided for by way of reciprocal agreements covering family benefits since 1 December 1948. A further agreement operating from 1 April 1956 covers New Zealand superannuation, age, widows', invalids', orphans', unemployment, and sickness benefits on the one hand and, on the other, the corresponding retirement and widows' pensions, guardians' allowances, and unemployment and sickness benefits under the legislation of the United Kingdom.

The basis of this agreement is that a period of residence in New Zealand, between the ages of 16 years and pensionable age, is regarded as equivalent to a period for which contributions have been paid under the United Kingdom National Insurance Scheme, while a period of residence in the latter country is treated as equivalent to a period of residence in New Zealand. Persons migrating from one country to another are, in general, entitled to claim benefit under the existing legislation of the country of adoption.

Health Benefits

Part II of the Social Security Act of 1964 provides a wide range of benefits in respect of medical and hospital treatment and other related services. These benefits are usually referred to as “health benefits”, and are administered by the Department of Health under the direction of the Minister of Health. Prior to the passing of the Social Security Act, New Zealand had no nation-wide plan for prepaid medical or hospital services. It is true that voluntary groups, such as friendly societies, levied on their members for this purpose, and by arrangements with doctors and with hospitals were able to offer to members free or partially free, medical and hospital treatment. In the main, however, people made their own arrangements and met their own costs for medical and hospital treatment as and when the need arose. Doctors engaged in individual practice recovered their fees directly from their patients. Public hospitals charged patients at rates varying with the type of institution and with the ability of the patient to pay. For the completely indigent and those in straitened circumstances, private doctors often afforded out of compassion a measure of free treatment, and hospital boards administered relief under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act. Such free treatment and relief were not obtained as rights; often people seeking relief had to undergo full investigation of their financial and other circumstances so that inability to pay could be proved. Many of the poorer people were too proud to disclose their poverty or accept charity and so went without adequate medical care. (The function of administering all classes of public hospitals other than mental hospitals is vested in district hospital boards. New Zealand is divided into 37 hospital districts, each under the control of a hospital board whose members, elected triennially, are representatives of constituent local authority districts within the hospital district.)

The inauguration of health benefits under the social security programme was thus long overdue and constituted a most necessary and sweeping reform. The benefits are available to all persons ordinarily resident in New Zealand, regardless of economic status. The scheme is non-contributory, benefits being available as of right irrespective of the amount, if any, of social security taxes paid by the recipients of the benefits. The right to benefits is restricted only in cases where a person receiving medical or other treatment is entitled to recover the expenses of such treatment by way of compensation or damages.

The Act provides for five general classes of benefits – medical, pharmaceutical, hospital, and maternity – and such supplementary benefits as are deemed necessary to ensure the effective operation of the aforementioned benefits or otherwise to maintain and promote public health. Benefits in respect of maintenance and treatment in State mental hospitals, both for committed patients and for voluntary boarders, were inaugurated on 1 April 1939. No special administrative arrangements were necessary to provide these classes of benefit, as virtually all mental hospital provision in New Zealand was already undertaken by the State.

Maternity Benefits. Commencing from 15 May 1939, medical services covering maternity work, including both antenatal and postnatal treatment, have been paid for at an agreed scale by the Department of Health, although officially recognised obstetrical specialists may charge the patient an additional fee. Mothers may have, free of charge, either public maternity hospital care or the services of an obstetric nurse during labour and for 14 days after childbirth. All private maternity hospitals accept the standard rates as part payment of their fees.

Hospital Benefits. For inpatients these benefits were inaugurated on 1 July 1939, and for outpatient treatment on 1 March 1941. Patients receive free inpatient and outpatient treatment in public hospitals. For those who arrange for treatment in private hospitals, the benefit payments normally cover only part of the charges, the balance being paid by the patient. Free maintenance and treatment is also provided in the State mental hospitals and in approved institutions such as the Karitane Hospitals for women and babies where both mother and child receive free treatment.

Also coming within the scope of hospital outpatients' benefits are artificial aids, which include artificial limbs, hearing aids, contact lenses, and other appliances for physical relief. The cost of repair of artificial limbs is borne by the State.

Medical Benefits. Under the General Medical Services scheme introduced on 1 November 1941, a doctor is paid from the Social Security Fund for each consultation at his surgery or at a patient's home, with additional payments for night and Sunday calls and milage fees. A patient either pays the doctor his full normal fee and then claims the appropriate refund from the Fund (supporting his claim with the doctor's receipt) or pays the doctor the balance of his fee above the social security payment, the doctor claiming the appropriate amount from the Fund. The doctor himself determines which procedure is to be followed. Some doctors accept the benefit (7s. 6d.) from the Fund in full satisfaction and charge nothing to the patient. General medical services do not include specialist services, but the patient may still claim 7s. 6d. for each consultation.

Pharmaceutical Benefits. These were introduced on 5 May 1941 and provide for the free supply of medicines and drugs on the prescription of any registered medical practitioner. The scheme is carried out by contracts between the Minister of Health and individual chemists who support their claims with the prescriptions which have been signed by the patients as evidence of receipt of the medicine.

The range of free pharmaceutical requirements is defined in a document known as the “drug tariff”, issued under the hand of the Minister of Health. The tariff imposes limits on the quantities of drugs which, as a charge on the Fund, may be issued on one prescription, and it sets out the prices and fees payable from the Fund to contracting chemists. The benefits are also available at the outpatients' department of some public hospitals, while in some remote country areas doctors dispense medicines under special arrangements.

Supplementary Benefits. These were introduced progressively from 11 August 1941 and include:

  1. X-ray diagnostic services which are free if provided by hospital boards, and part paid if provided under specified conditions by radiologists in private practice.

  2. Free laboratory diagnostic services if provided by a public hospital or by a recognised private pathologist who accepts the fee from the Social Security Fund in full satisfaction of his claim for his services.

  3. Physiotherapy treatment given by private registered physiotherapists on the recommendation of a doctor. A fee of 5s. for each treatment is paid from the Fund provided the physiotherapist undertakes not to charge the patient any additional fees in excess of 8s. for each treatment afforded in the physiotherapist's rooms, or 13s. for each treatment elsewhere.

  4. A free district nursing service.

  5. Domestic assistance during incapacity for various reasons of a mother or in cases of undue hardship. In their present form the regulations provide merely for payments by way of subsidy to approved associations that have been formed for the purpose of providing assistance in homes. It is the duty of approved associations to engage domestic assistants to work as employees of the associations in homes to which they may be allocated by the association, in accordance with conditions specified by the Minister of Health.

  6. Dental benefits. Dental treatment benefits are free and the services are provided by registered dentists or a State dental nurse in a State dental clinic, a contracting dentist, or a public hospital. At the present time benefits are confined to persons who are under 16 years of age or are enrolled patients.

Conclusion

The Social Security Act of 1938 introduced no new philosophy into the New Zealand way of life but was a natural development towards which the growth and consolidation of the country itself and of its political awareness and social conscience had been heading for years. This maturing process is continuous and the degree of corporate responsibility accepted by the people must grow correspondingly. It can be expected that the social security programme will be extended and modified as circumstances permit to meet the changing needs of the people. Over the years, to meet these needs, New Zealand has developed a four-way approach to social security—by cash benefits as of right, by supplementary benefits according to need, by medical care benefits and, more recently, by various welfare measures – all designed to maintain and improve individual and family living levels.

Note: Since this article was prepared the Social Security Fund has been abolished and, although the 7 ½ per cent social security tax remains, the proceeds fall into the Consolidated Revenue Account from which all social security expenditure is now met.

Cost of Social Security

The mounting costs of social security are always a matter of concern, but over the last 15 years, in spite of very substantial increases in the rates of benefit, the proportion of the national income devoted to this essential form of social protection has shown no marked increase as is shown by the following table:

National Income
Social Security Cash and Health Benefits
Expenditure
Year Ended 31 March Net National Income at Factor Cost* Cash Benefits Health Benefits Cash and Health Benefits
Amount £ (million)
1940 211.1 9.3 1.1 10.4
1947 368.4 29.9 6.2 36.1
1951 612.5 41.7 8.7 50.4
1955 801.7 53.5 12.6 66.1
1959 961.7 69.4 18.7 88.1
1960 1,037.4 83.8 19.9 103.7
1961 1,120.8 87.5 21.2 108.7
1962 1,58.5 91.1 22.8 114.0
1963 1,248.9 91.6 23.8 115.4
1964 1,368.4 87.3 24.2 121.5
Percentae of Expenditure to National Income
1940 100 4.4 0.5 4.9
1947 100 8.1 1.7 9.8
1951 100 6.8 1.4 8.2
1955 100 6.7 1.6 8.3
1959 100 7.2 2.0 9.2
1960 100 8.1 1.9 10.0
1961 100 7.9 1.8 9.7
1962 100 7.9 2.0 9.9
1963 100 7.4 1.9 9.3
1964 100 7.1 1.8 8.9

*Source: Monthly Abstract of Statistics.

†Includes supplementary assistance.

by George James Brocklehurst, B.COM., A.R.A.N.Z., Chairman, Social Security Commission, and Secretary for War Pensions, Wellington.

SOCIAL SECURITY 22-Apr-09 George James Brocklehurst, B.COM., A.R.A.N.Z., Chairman, Social Security Commission, and Secretary for War Pensions, Wellington.