OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Mr Brabant has largely reduced th« number of claims to be investigated,; for old age annuities during the last. few days. It was a regular 'weeding^ oiufe' of unfounded expectations onci, . ; \\ Saturday. About sixty cases com-v prised the order paper, and of this total, • 1 about twenty-one were either with** drawn, struck out, or rejected. Fif«. teen applicants succeeded in obtaining^ warrants and a large number of petl-<j ;| tions were adjourned on substantial^; ~ "- j grounds, and will not be dealt with^ until satisfactory particulars in eachj instance are produced and accepted a by the Court. The papers produced! m by the Dequty Registrar, Mr Klng„ . *" satisfied the S.M. that every effort wast, being made by the inquiring officerl and himself to satisfy the inrestigat-% ing judge on every point. Another couple of weeks should see the end of; all the general case.^ lodged. Ques-<- . tions of property and other impWtantij information were forthcoming1 1114 many cases, and it is a& well to let* petitioners know that except pro'ol^ and corroborative testimony of a mosfe reliable nature are forthcoming claim* ants may run the risk 0$ either having their cases indefinitely p'dStjJOnecE or rejected altogether. Intimation iis being sent to many non-attehdej;s'tfiatifev unless they attend and go on- WithJ 1 their claims- they run & great risle" $£ their names being struck out of th'ef? list. The Court sat until about fivei. o'clock and; resumed its enquiries this* morning.. The patient way in whi'efe the Stipendiary Magistrate continue* his obtaining evidence afid requireddetails, and the great considerations wliich he manifests to the feeble a&d! afflicted old colonists day after daji must he seen' to be fully realised. Be*« fore ending the business awaafffs were made and pension warrant* directed to issue to Thomas Bak«p £18, John Tomney £18, Ellen? Tom*, ney £14, James Wood, £18,. Georgfe Tavenor £ 18, Mary Slater £18, Elizabeth Ann Smeed £IS,- George- Heald £17, James Jones £18, Elizabeth jRb6. ley £18, Eliza. Storey £18,. Annie Ashley. £14, Ann. Morgan £IS, Iletitia Afis North £18, Jbha Wffl*. ZufgM jfils.