OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 223, 13 June 1908, Page 5

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

0 THE DISQUALIFICATIONS.

LABOUR'S VITAL AMENDMENTS. REDUCED AGE-LIMIT. er TELEGRAPH—PIIEB3 ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT (Rcc. June 12, 9.36 p.m.) London, June 12. The Independent Labour Party has decided to move an amendment in tho House of Commons to Mr. Asquith's old age pensions scheme. The amendment will bo to tlvo following effect: — 1. That the age-limit bo reduced from 70 years to 65 years. 2. That the folowing disqualifications be abolished:— (a) The income-limit, under which a person otherwise qualified for a pension is debarred if ho is in receipt of an inoome of £26 per annum (10s. per week) or upwards, or, in the case of a married couplo, an incomo of £39 per annum (15s. per week) or upwards. (b) The disqualification of present paupers, i.e., those actually in receipt of poor law relief. _ (c) The differentiation between ■ married couples, or relatives living together, as against single persons; under which a joint pension of 7s, 6d. per week is paid : whero a husband and wifo, each enwhereas a single pensioner <jets ss. a week. 1 titled to pension, are living together, (d) ,Tho. character test (in which is included recent criminal records, etc.).IRRECONCILABLE OBJECTIVES. It is obvious that, if the Labour party could carry the above amendments, the pensions scheme could not bo financed by the six millions per annum which Mr. Asqitith talks about; perhaps not for three times that sum. Mr. Asquith proposes a six millions scheme, to reach about 500,000 septuagenarians,, out cf 2,116,000 peoplo ovor the age of 65 years. Tho Labour party demands a universal pension, ago limit 65 years, estimated by tho Local Government Board to cost, if fixed at ss, per weok, .£27,508,000 per year. The removal of tho restrictions, or most of them, would obviously make the Prime. Minister's arithmetic impossible. The Charity Organisation Society recently declared. that, the restrictions were impracticable, either with regard to age, amount, or discrimination.