Study group report on means testing and social services for Māori and the aged. Comments on the lack of coordination and review within social services in NZ as well as our ‘egalitarian bias’ that has resulted in a great deal of centralisation of services either under complete State control or departmental supervision following naturally from State subsidies. The authors see ‘some merit in amalgamation of certain social welfare functions under a single departmental agency'. Notes that the question of whether Māori should enjoy the same rate of benefit as Pākehā is still raised even though a research paper on ‘Social Services for the Maori People’ identifies that ‘full equity between Maori and Pakeha exists in relation to all social security benefits’. It argues that the complaint that social security payments make up an unduly large percentage of rural Māori income is in part justified and that this is closely related to ‘the danger of urban Maori unemployment’. Argues that Maoris 'enjoy equality in respect of all health benefits and services’. First main conclusion is that if it is found that the country cannot afford the full social services bill the best strategy would be to keep universal superannuation at a fairly low level and increase benefits and special assistance to needy persons (keeping the family benefit universal). Second conclusion is that there is no real purpose in a Social Security Fund. Other conclusions include the useful role of the aged in modern society and that they could be helped by a policy offering them independence and activity; and that the core of the ‘Maori problem’ lies in lower educational standard and high unemployment, recommending ‘vigorous continuation of Maori land development’.