OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 97, 17 January 1908, Page 7

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

■ MR. ASQUITH'S POLICY. DISTRIBUTION OF THE BURDEN. DEAR BREAD AND COAL. Bt IEIISORArn—PRESS association—coptkioht (llco. Jan. 17, 1.1 aim.) London, January 16. In the course of a specch at Lancastoi Mr. Asquith, Chanoollor of tho Exchequer said that the riso in tho price of coal'wa duo to tho enormous industrial activity Broad has risen becauso of a tomporar; shortago in tho world's harvest. Tho Education Bill, ho said,, would b short and , simple. Tho old agi pension system must bo built u] gradually, with a duo regard to thi financial oxigoncios of tho country, and, a far as it was derivod from taxation, nius be a scheme to which all classes, including tho workers, must mako just and adequati contribution. Upon thoso lines tho Govern mont intended to proceed. j Mr. Asquith's reference to the gradual Imild ing up of an old agopenijion system is interest ing in view of recent reports in tho Libera Press that ho (lifters with the Minister foi War (Mr. Haldane) and tho First Lord of thi Admiralty (Lord Tweedniouth) as' to the riva claims on tho Exchequer of old ago pension! on the one hand and of the Army and' th< Navy (which they naturally champion) on tin other. The-statement as to the reason, of., tlx rise in coal recalls tho assertion of Mr.'Snow den, Labour M.P., that it was partly due tc ! Mr. Asquith's repeal of the coal export duty.