LIGHT WORK AND PENSIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 9 December 1936, Page 6

LIGHT WORK AND PENSIONS.

There was a good deal of talk about twelve months ago regarding the old age pension and a great many were led to believe tliat the age was going to be reduced to CO years, but nothing has been done about it so far. At present there are a great many on sustenance over fiO years of age, including myself, who are only fit for light work, and some not for that. There is no such thing as one of ns getting light work, as it does not exist, so far as the Labour Bureau is concerned. There are a great many of the above men, myself included, who put in for an invalid pension, but have been turned down by the doctor, who contended tliat they were still fit for work. 1s it fair keeping these men on the unemployment roll waiting for a job that they could not do if they got one to-morrow? The Hon. W. E. Parry said that he bad met a number of men who he thought were not fit for work and could not, like myself, get the invalid pension, but he thought they ought to get it. Xow why do they not give these men the old age pension and put them off sustenance? JOHN" GALE.