Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-07-31
Pension Aged in New Zealand

| No terror OF poverty and the con-
sequent sufferings exists among ths
| people of New Zealand. The govern
ment exercises a faithful and care
| full guard against many of the con-
ditions and things that might tend tc
make the lot of its humblest citizen
uncomfortable from a physical stand
point. There is no real incentive
with the exception of whatever In
dividual ambition one may possess
| for person in New Zealand TO make
| success in life as measured by the
common worldly conception of that
word.
| 1t is not necessary for one here to
| lay up a store of savings for old
age. He Is assured that the govern
ment will look after his wants when
| he has passed that time in life when
! he is no longer capable of earning a
! livelihood by his own efforts. The re-
| quirements as to deservability are not
! hard to comply with.
If man or woman of moderate
means here does not look forward in
the expectation of obtaining an old
age pension when the descent of lifes
pathway begins, the government
offers other opportunities for obtain
| Ing living without any great effort
| on the part Of the dependent person.
| There are several classes of direct
and indirect pensions here. That
which comes under the old age pen
sion act Is perhaps the most interest
| ing. At the close of the year 1918
there were 16,509 old age pensioners
on the rolls and the total amount
of money paid them during the year
was $2088,80 1t is interesting to
note that on this list were thirty-one
native-born Americans. The total
number of male old age pensioners
was 8,641, and female, 1858
In providing pensions for its aged
citizens, the government acts on the
principle that person who has given
perhaps the best years of his life in
trying to make an honest living is
deserving of as much compensation
and recognition on the part or the
government as the men who may have
fought in the wars of the nation.
| There is no contributory require
ment in the New Zealand pension act
| The qualifications for an old age pen
| sion are that the applicant, If a man.
must have reached the age of sixty
| five, or, il woman, must have
reached the age of sixty, except In
cases where the man applicantds the
parent Of two or more children under
| fourteen years of age. in which case
I
the pension age is made sixty, and the
woman under similar conditions may
be granted pension at fifty-fve
years of age.
In such cases as these the applicant
must be responsible for the main
tenance of the children, and they may
receive a pension in any sum up to
s65 per annum each, in addition to the
/ ordinary pension which the law pro-
yides, the latter being $3.50 per annum,
payable in monthly installments. The
applicant must have resided continu-
ously in New Zealand for the past
twenty-five years and must not dur
| ing the past twelve yearshave been
in prison for four months, or on more
than three occasions for an offense
punishable by twelve months impris-
onment The applicant must not dur
ing the past twenty-five years have
been in prison for five years for any
offense. Wife or husband desertior
is also a prohibitive cause. The appli.
cant must have lived sober ant
reputable life during the past year
Washington Star.