Old Age Pensions.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XVII, Issue 1789, 31 October 1896, Page 3

Old Age Pensions.

Review of Reviews. The new humanity which is the characteristic of all modern politics takes the form, just now, m most of the colonies, of a scheme of old age pensions. Mr Kirton proposed such a scheme m the Victorian Parliament. There were, he calcmlated, 12,000 of aged poor m the colony who need State help; a pension of 10s .per week would mean £300,000 per year— - a sum which for such a purpose might be easily raised. Mr Kirton withdrew his resolution on a promise from the Ministry that a committee should be appointed to con- ! aider the whole subject. South Australia, j too, it is understood, is meditating a pension scheme ; and New Zealand, where political courage is most abundant, has already an Old Age Pensions Bill, which provides for a uniform weekly .payment of 10s to every person over 65. The funds for this scheme are to be supplied by an increase m the excise duties, tax en entertainment tickes, a mortgage tax, andean increase m the stamp duties. It is a benevolent and admirable impulse which inspires these measures ; but, as the experience of Germany proves, a State provision for old age is a very complex matter, and needs wise statesmanship, as well as ardent philanthrophy, to make it safe.