OLD AGE PENSIONS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 85, 9 April 1924, Page 9

OLD AGE PENSIONS

10 THE EDITOB

Sir, —Fellow feeling makes one wonderous kind! My sympathy goes out to those old people who interviewed the Hon. Mr. Bollard for an increase in the old age pensions. I was pleased they got a sympathetic hearing. I should ljke to bring before your notice the position of a few old people who are in a worse plight than the cases presented to the Minister, and these are the old people who were in receipt of the British old-age' pension, (and'lthey have to be 70 years of age to receive it), and had to forfeit it when coming out here to spend their few remaining years with their sons or daughters who have come out to settle here as immigrants. Their number will be augmented by the future immigrants bringing or sending for their parents later. I had to forgoe my old-age pension, when coming out to New Zealand, four years ago, with my daughter and son-in-lad, a returned soldier, who, by the way, has very anxious moments to make ends meet. What .with the increased cost of living, and being compelled to purchase a hoose, if only the payment of British old-age pensions were continued, the burden would be lifted to the extent of 10s from those sons and daughters who are making great sacrifices by looking after their parents in their old ago. Surely, sir, it is not too much to ask the Minister to make arrangements with the British Government for the continuation of payment to those old persons who are in. receipt of the British oldage pensions when leaving the Old Country to reside here. I believe the above has been mentioned in Parliament, but nothing was done last year. I appea ] to the Government, and members of rarhament,_and also you, Mr. Editor p°eai-I^^ioM °theaboV -P-