Washington sentinel., 1899-03-11
FOR EIoN EW s
Translated and Selected from leading
Exvo6eGHbabsv TIE SENTINEL.
ENGLAND.

OLD AGE PENSIONS IN NEW ZEALAND.
Hon. w. P. Reeves, Agent General of
New Zealand, writes in the National
RsvieV on the old age pension act just
passed in that colony. 1t was, he says,
brought forward by the Government in
advance OF public opinion;
LAS finally licked into shape, the act
is one for giving a small pension to the
poorest section ofaged colonists without
any contribution on their part whatever.
Briefly summarized it's effect will be
that any New Zealander-manO or woman
who has come to the age of 65, after
living not less than IS years in New
Zealand, shall be entitled to 6s nd
week, or ySrS year, The full pension
is to be paid to those whose income
from any source is less than ( "A, When
the private income is above 634 a year
EI is deducted from the pension for
every SI of such excess income. When,
there fore, the private income IS large
enough to be KS a year IN excess OF
ga no State pension is paid. In other
words, no one who has an income of S52
a year is entitled to even fraction OF
the pension. A rather more elaborate
portion of the act deals with deductions
70 be made from the pension where the
applicant for it is possessed OF accumu-
lated property. Under this the appli'
cant's real and personal property are
assessed, and his debts, if any, are sub
tracted from the total value thereof.
Then he is allowed to own A325 without |
suffering any deduction therefor Alter |
that he loses ySI Of pension for every |
KS worth OF accumulated property |
The result is that any one possessed Of
1900 worth Of accumulated property /
ceases to be entitled to any allowance
whatever.
MEN and women are equally entitled
to the pension, and where husband
and vile are living together their prop
erty or income is divided by two for the
purpose of the calculations above men,
toned That IS to say, their united
income must amount to SIo4 or their
united property to bI,2oo before they
are altoR ether disenttled to any part OF
the pension. They may have, between
them, an income OF 66S, or as much as
E6so Of property, and yet be entitled to
draw their respective pensions in full -
The Government is only authorized
to paw the required amounts during the
next three years, after which Parliament
will have to decide on the continuance
or amendment OF the act. Mr. Reeves
expects that "the opposition will. more
or less in unison, submit rival old age
pension scheme to the constituencies.
One of their prominent members, Mr.
indicated in the debate on
the third reading OF the measure a
scheme which some persons think will
be generally adopted by his party. This
IS to draw a distinction between the
older poor ofthe colony now living and
The younger generation Of colonists.
All now over fifty years of age are to be
permitted as they attain sixty-fve to
advantage OF Mr.. Seddon's act with
out let or hindrance. But for the
younger people contrIbutory scherle
IS to be drawn up, under which they |
would have to pay some such sum as
jixpence a week, to go in aid OF a sub
,tantial pensionin their old age. What
ever may be the thought ofthe economic
merits Of such scheme, it might con.
.eivablY be expected at election time to
lisarm the hostility OF the aged poor to
INV such interference with their pros.
,ects under the present system as would |
,e entailed by a complete repeal OF the
seldom act" ,
Mr., Reeves does not lear for the effect /
II the new act on thrift:
"With a large class of the poor the I
prospect Of such a pension will,In truth, {
,e a very strong iDducement to lay by ,
air sum, or to continue, even after sixty
i've, to earn some slight wage which,
their state allowance,
will insure them a reasonable measure
# comfort in the last years OF life."