A BRIBE TO THE WASTERS TO GET THEIR VOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 13, 15 July 1905, Page 15

A BRIBE TO THE WASTERS TO GET THEIR VOTES.

. uo am; editor. Sir, — I am pleased to see the stand lluit ?a taken by aomo of our M.H.R.'s against this Tammany bribe of raising the old-age pensions to 10s. Who tire the. people tli.it receive the pension? The' rrnijoiity of them are those wfio neglected their opportunity to acquire by saving a little for old age, and those Mho have done so arc. gunislied fur being thrifty. 'How many are there, beouuse they have saved enough to get a little home and have just enough to debar them from getting the pension, who must either mortgage their little propertips, and spend and live on the proceeds till they get poor enough, or, worse, tell lies ftbout, or pretend to make- away with them by gift? Sir, it is wiong in any Government to tempt the people to break the law. The Premier makes a point that the country cannot .ifford to make Ijlie pensions universal. But does he forget that the money will still remain in the country, and those- who do not want it in nine cases out of ten will apply it to somo chnritable purpose, or, is he afraid that to do so will lesben the bribe? A univerNil pension will take the stigma of pauperism away. This measure bears the hall-mark of Tammany, like many othors. The groes- | esfc was the seven years' appointment tt>

'the Council : "Boys, if you do not behave yourselves you will not get back!" It is the Tammany method all through, but this last — the rai&ing of the pension on the eve of an election — is the most reprehensible and transparent of all. — I am, etc., ANTI-TAMMANY. Wellington, 10th July, 1905.