OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 105, 27 January 1908, Page 7

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

MB. ASQUITH. r AGAINST UNIVERSAL PAYMENT. NO HUMILIATING TAINT. e* lEi.EQKArn—ritcss association—corvnianT. (Rec. Jan. 2C, 4.32 p.m.) ~ .. London, January 25. Mr. Asquith, Chancellor of tho Exchequer, speaking at .(Norwich- with regard to old ago pensions, said lie did ; not think any satisfactory scheme could be based on the. con-: tribution'system,' but ho did'not favour'pensions, at : a-'certain age regardless of'need or . other conditions.',He urged that the pension system must, from the beginning, bo untainted , by tho humiliations attending poor, law administration. ,He denied that the Liberal Administration 'desired'.to.injure any class, but it desired , to assert the .over-riding ; claims of tho whole community against all particular classes.,and interests. . . : ' ; A dozen suffragettes wore ejected from the meeting. UNIVERSAL OR DISCRIMINATING?" ! Mr. i Asquith '.is evidently seeking to remove an impression that was, caused in some .quarters by his speech at Lancaster.•. Ho.,then stated that 'the . old age- ponsion system mast be built; up gradually, with a due regard lo the financial exigencies of the . country, aud, as far,' as it was derived fropi taxation, niushe a scheme to which all classes, iiicludng the workers, must make just and adequate contribution. . .'■■■ '' . . From the remarks about;, contribution, etc., Mr. P.' Snowden, Labour-'member: forburn, inferred that it was , the Govcrnu'cni s intention "to cast ; a portion'of the burden (>f pensions on tho local rates,' causing retention of the stigma "attaching to; poor law r \ At a sperial-'conference - preceding the 1j nil Conference,- Labour arid. Socialist, delegate l ; tic-1 eided'that "any old ago* pension scheme would/ be unsatisfactory unless it was non-discrimi-natory and non-contributory, and affirmed til? principle of tho right'of-everybody of nvo yoars of age, or those physically unlit i 1 fore that age,, Do.draw a' pension, tho money to firoa from the higher taxation; of in^ni^-s. Whilo the universal old age .pension, ,from 65 years, is' estimated to cost an--nually, the discriminating schemo reported on by lir. Chaplin's committeo is estimated to cost , JC10,780,00a., , Mr. A'squitli's' latest remark evidently. means that regard should be had to "need and other Conditions," Mr. Chaplin's scheme would exclude: (1)' Those in receipt of a pension of, 10s. a'week; (2) those who have received poor relief within twenty years of their /application for n pension;. (3) aliens, lunatics; and criminals; (4) those who !could not show that they havo endonvoilred' to mako provision for themselves ahd those dependent ; on them. •. ' ', .