IMMIGRATION AND PENSIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 18331, 19 July 1923, Page 3

IMMIGRATION AND PENSIONS.

TO TUI-1 EDITOR.

Sir, —1 ihinlc before bringing more immigrants out from Homo somi thing should bo done as regards pensions. My mother and' father brought up a family of seventeen, all absolutely fit, including ucvtn boys who have been soldiers, some lighting in the South African War, seven lighting in tins last (one killed and two seriously wounded). My mother and father are both in their eighties. They came out. lo New /.calami sixteen years ago, bringing their three younger children. My mother's father was an old pionc.r, and yet they in their old ago are not entitled lo tho old age pension. Had they remained in England they would have had it these past ten yean;. Now they arc kept by charily. What a disgrace to our colony! I wonder do they at, Homo think or care what becomes of any of us so long as they can dump us anywhere out of all the industrial unrest there, has been since the, war in England! I myself have been hero fourteen months with, my four little ones, whoso ages run from, six to fourteen years, and only ilhhcahu made mo apply to the widows’ pension office for help, to bo told that as my children wero not born here I am not included under tho Act. So I must bo like a seed blown about by tho wind, to take root, where and how I can, as far as New Zealand is concerned. And yet their cry is they want lino, healthy children. They expect rno to bring up my children healthy in mind and body, to become good citizens and a credit to tho country of thr.ir adoption, and they in return will give nothing, not even a dog's chance. We are—all that, como are —physically and mentally (it. We. jolly well have So be, or we should nof. bo iilowe.d io como. They sec to that part all right, and a-s far as I ran sere or mid out, taafc ends their responsibility. It is quite time the immigrants had scimeono from Homo lir-ro to see that this thing is put right, and do a-s I am doing—-write to their A.P.s in their own homo town and demand that they shall bo given a fair ohauco in the colonies their fathers' forefathers have made what it in. Prom one with her back to the wall, lighting not to live bill exist..—l am, etc., July 18. ; Selina.