REPENTANCES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 234, 3 October 1935, Page 12

REPENTANCES.

PENSION PROPOSALS. PLEA MADE FOR MORTGAGEES UNABLE TO DRAW INTEREST. (By, Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Describing the Government's proposed legislation in respect to pensions and small farms as "death bed repentances," Mr. D. McDougall (Independent, Mataura) made a plea in the House of Representatives this afternoon for better treatment for mortgagees who were unable to draw interest op the money they had lent on property, while at the same time being debarred from receiving a pension. "We passed Acts to allow the mortgagor to do what he likes," said Mr. McDougall, "but what about the mortgagee? What did he get?" He went on to give instances of people he knew who had lent all they had 011 land security and could not now get a penny in interest. He had asked the Minister in charge of the Pensions Department to I grant the pension in some cases and the reply was: "They have equity in land and having that they cannot get the pension." Mr. McDougall said lie kUew of an old lady who had lent £2000 011 a farm property and had not received a solitary sixpence in return. He had suggested to the Minister that the Government should take the equity and give her the pension, but had received no satisfaction. That person was now living" 011 charity. That was unfair. If persons who had lent in that way could prove to the Government that they were destitute they should be allowed to draw the pension. He hoped the Minister would see the justice of his proposal.