SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. The Hastings Standard Published Daily TUESDAY, NOV. 30, 1897. THE PENSIONS BILL.

Hastings Standard, Issue 489, 30 November 1897, Page 2

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE.

The Hastings Standard Published Daily

TUESDAY, NOV. 30, 1897. THE PENSIONS BILL.

PORT OF- NAPIER. SIGH WATER SLACK —THIS DAY. Outer Harbour ... ... p. m . 11.29 Inner Harbour ... ... p.m. 12.59 Arrivals. November :-30 —Te Anau. s.s., from Southern poits. R. Puflett, agent. PKrARTCKES. November 29—liotonia, s.s., for South. K. rarfett, agent. Passengers —Mesdames Jackson, Dawson, Valentine: Miss Smith, Messrs Dawson, Taylor, Luuu, Valentine, Lewis, Potts ; 6 steerage. Expected Arrivals. Westralia, s.s., from Northern ports and Sydney, December 2. Ooiapere, s.s. from Gisbome and Auckland, December 2. Waihora, s.s., from Southern ports, December 4. Projectkd Departcrks. Te Anau, s.s., for Gisbome and Auckland, November 30. Westralia, s.s., for Southern ports, December 2. Omapere, s.s., for Wellington, December 2. Waihora, s.s., for Northern ports and Sydney, December 4. The s.s. liotonia left for Southern ports last evening. The s.s. Te Anau arrived from Southern ports this morning, and leaves for Gisbome and Auckland at 7 p.m. The s.s. Rangatira is due from London via Auckland and Gisbome to-morrow morning.

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.

Thk vital clause of the Old Age Pensions Bill introduced by the Premier is No. 8, and after a prolonged debate it has been amended and altered out of all recognition. It is in its new form quite a remarkable example of stupid legislation even for New Zealand. As mended the clause reads as follows : Subject to the provisions of this Act, every person who at any time after the coming into operation of this Act attains the age of (55 years or upwards shall thereafter whilst in the colony be entitled to a pension as heafter specified for the rest of his life unless disqualified as hereinafter provided. Provided: (a) That he is residing in the colony on the date when he established his claim to the pension ; and also (/<) that he has so resided continuously for not less than twenty years immediately preceeding such date ; and also (<•) that during the period of four years immediately preceeding such date he has not been convicted four times and upwards in respect of drunkenness ; and also ('■ 1.) that he has not been in prison during a period of four mouths or on four occasions at any time within ten years before establishing a claim to a pension for any offence which is punishable by imprisonment for 12 months and upwards; and also (<•. 2) that he has not at any time within ten years of establishing his claims for a pension for a period of not less than twelve months deserted his wife, or refused, neglected or failed to provide her with adequate means of maintenance or wilfully neglected to maintain such members of his family as are under fourteen years •; provided that if the pensions certificate is issued the pensioner's right thereunder shall not be effected by" any disqualification is established to the satisfaction of a Deputy Registrar within twelve months after date of such issue ; and also (c 8) that he is not notoriously of drunken or immoral habits, and as such was known to the police or any other person at the time he filed his pension claim ; and also (<• 4.) that, if a wife, she has not deserted her husband or such of her children as are under the age of 14 years for 12 months within a period of ten years immediately preceding the date on which she applies for her pension ; and also (d.) that his total income from all sources (exclusive of his personal earnings to the extent- of £B4 per annum and his pension) does not amount to £52 per annum or upwards computed as hereinafter provided ; and also ( e.) thai be is the holder of a pension certificate as hereinafter provided. The disqualifications cover every crime and every human weakness and the number of those who would be entitled to a pension would be extremely small. Of course it is just and proper that only the deserving poor should receive consideration but it is doubtful whether there ever will be any deserving poor if the provisions of Clause 8 are strictly enforced. For slipshod legislation, for unadulterated stupidity for an example of concentrated gibberish, commend us to sub-Clause £■. 3. i which disqualifies those notor-

iously of drunken pnd immoral habits. What we ask is the standard by which the drunken and immoral can be measured ? What is the standard of drunknness, and how much above that standard must we look for the " notoriously drunken habits " ? The same witb the disqualification of immorality. Does this cover commercial immorality or political immorality, or does it mean sexual immorality alone. If the latter what is the measure of notoriety? Who is to judge of the notoriety? and who is to judge the morality of the judge'? It is a big question, and although it seems quite right that the drunken and the dissolute should be disqualified, it would be a difficult matter to find out who are notoriously drunken and dissolute. The clause does not disqualify the drunken and dissolute but those who are notoriously so, and the trouble will be to decide how much drunkenness and how much immorality ranks as notorious within the meaning of the Act. Those who are not notoriously of drunken and immoral habits would, subject to compliance with the other provisions 'of the Act, be entitled to the pension, but these good people as such in the language of sub-clause (c. 3) must be known to the police or any other person at the time the pension claim is iiied. The relative positions of the Premier and the House seems to us to be simply this : The Premier shouts " Pensions Bill '' and the House retorts " rats ! " and clause 8 is " ratty " enough to entitle our legislators to a month's free lodging in Mount View Asylum. Of course the Old Age Pensions Bill is not seriously intended. It is one of the farces that are being played by presumably intelligent and sober men for the benefit of the gallery, and it enables the Government to fill up time aud so postppne consideration of more urgent legislation.