National Social Insurance, 1933-52

Component identifier:

Series 9

Content Summary:

In 1930, during the Great Depression, Jessie Street travelled to England, Geneva and the U.S.A. to study National Social Insurance. She prepared a scheme for Australia, covering old age, invalid, accident, sickness, unemployment benefits and child endowment. The Lyons Government rejected her proposal, because it could not afford the £6,000,000 to finance it.

This series consists of correspondence, papers written by Street, reports, publications and newspaper clippings.

The correspondence relates to trade union matters and dates from 1943-1952. Among the correspondents was Jim Healy, General Secretary of the Waterside Worker's Federation of Australia. (Folder 1).

Travel documents signed by the Premier of N.S.W, T.R. Bavin, were used as introductory letters when travelling overseas in 1930-31 (Folder 1).

Publications collected during the Great Depression include: Anthony Horden Sons 5th report 1930-3; The deadlock in finance, by Major Arthur Pavell, 1931; a newspaper clipping from the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miner's Advocate, Friday October 9, 1931, and Principles of Taxation, by Clive Teece, 1931 (Folder 3). There are also several Bank of New South Wales's circulars, The development of Australia, by Sir John Butters, various publications on tariff and trade and Real wealth and financial poverty, by W.H. Rhys, 1931 (Folder 2)

Papers written by Street include: 'Conciliation and Industrial Arbitration', 'Suggestions for initiating a general social insurance scheme', 'General Social Insurance Scheme', 'Some problems of Employment', 'The standard of living and security for workers', 'Contributory Old Age and Invalid pensions' 'Suggested system of tariffs and bounties', 'The stimulation of employment and family endowment, 'Child Endowment', and the 'Case for Unemployment Insurance' (Folder 5).

Other papers and publications include: Outline of Scheme for Trade Union Advisory Panels as Adopted by Conference of Unions engaged on War Work, by the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, 1940; a copy of Federal Union World, 1942 and papers relating to repatriation, 1943 and the old age pension (Folder 5).

Reports prepared by the Royal Commission on National Insurance of the Commonwealth of Australia deal with Casual sickness, permanent invalidity, maternity and old age, 1924-5; Dispute allowances', 1926; Unemployment, 1926; and Child endowment of family allowances, 1929 (Folder 4).

A House of Representatives Bill entitled A Bill for an Act to provide for the Insurance of Employees and the Wives, Children, Widows and Orphans of Employees, against certain contingencies and for other purposes (1926-28) is located in Folder 6, together with Unemployment Insurance in Australia, by Godrey H. Ince, (1937). Progress Report from the Select Committee of the Legislative Assembly upon the Employment of Youth in Industry, (1940) and a report of the Royal Commission inquiring into the question of the compulsory retirement of employees in coal and shale mines of N.S.W. during (1941).

Immediate source of acquisition:

Jessie Street's husband, Sir Kenneth Street, donated the papers to the National Library in 1970. Her son, Sir Laurence Street, made a substantial addition in 1972. Further small additions were made to the collection between 1973 and 2001.

Subjects:

Women's rights

Contents

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