THE OLD-AGE PENSION PROBLEM.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 18, 20 July 1907, Page 13

THE OLD-AGE PENSION PROBLEM.

At the annual meeting of tho Manchester Unity of Oddfellows, opened at Folkestone on Whit-Monday, the Grand Master, Mr. J. Harford gawking £g-

ferred to tho question of old-age pensions. That, he declared, "was a matter which must be dealt with by and through 1 the medium of Friendly Societies alone, unless a system of compulsory insurance was adopted by tho State, and that was repungnant to, and not consistent with, the liberty of the subject." "What was wanted was a properly devised old-age pension scheme to suit all classes of Friendly Society members, as .well as tha community at largo, arid such a scheme could be prepared." A reasonable and workable' system of old-age pensions could not, he went on to say, be built up on a nucleus of two and a quarter millions. These remarks by one who has certainly the right to express an opinion on the subject are worth the consideration of the Government, and indeed, of all who imagine that the old-ago pensions problem ia going to be solved by a dole of two or three millions. It will require instead something between twentyfive or thirty millions a year, and, further, will meet with a great deal of opposition, not only by the friends of pub'Jic economy and from all who desire to resist the pauperisation of the nation, but also from the best of the Friendly Societies.