PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 66, 15 September 1917, Page 4

PENSIONS

THE RECENT INCREASES

STATEMENT OF THE EFFECT.

Under the Finance Act recently passed there was an increase provided in old-age and other pensions. With a view to ascertaining the exact position, a. representative of this paper waited upon the Hon. Arthur T. Myers, Minister of Pensions', who made the following statement:— . .

/There would be an increase as follows : —

Old-age.—ss per week. Widows.—£6 per annum for' each child under 14 years of a widow in receipt of a pension.

Military.—sa per week to veterans of the Maori War in receipt of a military pension, whose income, with pension and allowance included, does not exceed £200 per annum..

Miners.—ss per week, except to those wh a may be in receipt of old-age or widow's pension.

These increases will remain in' force for twelve months after the present war has terminated, and will be added to the pension due on Ist October, 1917, and payable on the 23rd of the present month. ' v ■ "^

Old Age Pensions.—The effect will be that every old-age pensioner will receive an increase' of £1 Is 8d per month, whatever the amount of the pension may be.

Widows' Pensions.—The present maximum pension payable to a widow is £6 per annum for each child under 14 years of age. With the increase, however, the rate \v;ll be £6 for the widow and £12 per annum for each child.

Military Pensions.—The present military pension of £36 per annum is granted legardless of income. ' The income of' pensioners granted up to the passing of the 1913 Act is known, and to these, if eligible, the increase of 5s a week will be authorised forthwith. To the remainder, a form ■ is being circulated by the Department asking for information to enable the pensioner's eligibility to be determined. The monthly rate of those eligible will be increased from £3 to £4 Is Bd. . .

Miners* Pensions.—The present rate payable to miners is : —To a single man, £39 per annum; married man, £52; widow of miner, £32 10s; all of whom will receive an increase of £13 per annum (5s per week). f ' I Persons, however, in receipt of a mineVs pension, if already in recoipt of an old age or widow's pension, will not receive the allowance twice over. When an old age pension is payable, that will be increased, and the miner's pension remain unaltered. When a widow's pension is payable, it will depend upon which carries the greater* allowance—Uie widow's pension with 10s a.month for each child or the miner's pension with £1 Is 8d per month. The widow of a miner, with a widow's pension and two children, would have her miner's pension increased by £1 Is Bd, whereas the same person,. with three children, would have her widow's pension increased by £1 10s per month.

The estimated cost per annum of the increases is £300,000.

"I may add," remarked the Hon. Mr. Myers, "that the total number and .annual value of the above-mentioned pensions, as at the 31st Marfih, 1917, was : — ' Value. ' - No. £ Old. age ./. 19,697 480,559 Widow's 2,024 39,386 Military 1,252 44,352 Miner's 238 9,984 23,191 £574,281