The Hastings Standard Published Daily SATURDAY, NOV. 27, 1897. THE PENSIONS COMEDY.

Hastings Standard, Issue 487, 27 November 1897, Page 2

The Hastings Standard Published Daily

SATURDAY, NOV. 27, 1897. THE PENSIONS COMEDY.

For the cause that lacks assistance,' For the wrongs that need resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that we can do.

The Gld Age Tensions Bill the Premier solemnly declared was the most important measure in the Ministerial programme. This announcement was made at the time when Mr Seddon was forced by an unruly minority to perform some hazardous political somersaults, in the hope probably that such a declaration would have the efiecfc of consolidating the Party and renewing his lease of leadership. Mr Seddon's sincerity was promptly questioned and it is becoming abundantly clear that the last thing the Premier is concerned about is the provision for the deserving poor in the autumn of their days. It is not the aged needy that Mr Seddon is troubled about, what he aims at is popularity and vote-catching. There is a ring of benevolence in Old Age Pensions, and no doubt the man who can solve the problem satisfactorily will do a great service to humanity. The solution is not Mr Seddon's business, his whole aim is to pose as the benefactor who tried his best and failed. The electors will be duped into believing that Mr Seddon was brim full of sincerity when his Pensions Bill was before Parliament, and that he failed to get the measure passed into law because of the machinations of his opponents. The obvious duty of the dupes then would be to relegate to private life those who are now hammering the Bill out of shape. The member for Buller, Mr E. M'Kenzie, very aptly described the Bill as an abortion that the respectable poor would decline to take a peiision under. This is strong condemnation from a faithful follower of Mr Seddon, and amply corroborated what we have said above, namely, that Mr Seddon is untrammelled by any true sentiment for the aged poor, but is anxious only about his own political existence. The most important Bill in the programme is the vilest concoction, the crudest, the siliest piece of legislation that was ever presented to a Parliament by a statesman. Mr Seddon's own attitude towards his Bill is the strongest evidence against the utility of the measure. Members on both sides of the House are tearing and patching it, and Mr Seddon scarcely makes protest; indeed, in Committee Mr Seddon is not unlike a tumbler, he has his strip of carpat and at irregular intervals he throws sommersaults. Already the Bill has been so amended as to be unrecognisable as the most important Ministerial measure. Of course the Bill will not pass : it was never intended to pass. The cruellest thing Parliament can now perform towards Ministers is to paas the Old Age Pea-

sions Bill. With that measure on the statute book the Government would be obliged to resign for they simply could not carry out its provisions. The Bill we are certain is intended for home consumption, and Mr Seddon is merely playing to the gallery. " It was nearly as bad as it could be, but if he could make it worse and kill it, he would do so," were the vigorous utterances of MrR. M'Kenzie, and we predict that the Bill will be slaughtered whether Mr Seddon stakes his political fortunes upon it or not. If Mr Seddon is riding for a fall he is not giving a creditable exhibition. To permit a staunch follower like the member for the Buller to speak so disparagingly of " the most important Government Bill" is not business, The best thing that the Premier can do just now is to withdraw the Bill and reintroduce it with the improvements that the debate of the past few days may suggest; if he presses the measure we think he will be defeated.