PENSIONS FOR THE AGED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10111, 9 August 1893, Page 2

PENSIONS FOR THE AGED.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—The various schemes which have been shadowed foith from time to time for a pension f6r tho aged, by politicians, during the last few years, have not commended themselves to my judgment, inasmuch «o there has bson such a long time to wait before anyone could receive any benefit from them, and each one had in some way or other to provide the money he was to receive if he lived long enough. Now I would like to see a beginning made at once; the money could be derived from an Income tax, or any other tax the Government might tee fit to impose. At present every .account from £2 upwards must have a penny receipt stamp placed upon it, and no One grumbles at it, as far aa I know. This receipt stamp must be the source of a considerable revenue. Now, if the/ordinary receipt stamp was made progressive, accordingto tbe amounts paid, it would, in my estimation, create a very large fund which could be utilised for a pension for the aged. Say one penny, aa^

heretofore, on £2 upwards to £5, twopence on £5 to £2O, threepence from £2O to .£SO, sixpence from all amounts over £SO to £2OO. All amounts over £2OO should have a one shilling stamp on each account. If such a scheme were applied to ordinary trading transactions I do not think any more would be needed for the whole of our poor. Better schemes could perhaps be devised, and I should like to see the very best adopted. We could start say with all aged persons over sixty-five years of age, and bring the age down year by year until fifty-five years would be the time when anyone would be entitled to retire if ho chose to do so, or even at a lower age if necessary. Say if ten shillings per week were the minimum, and twenty shillings the maximum for each pensioner, the longer they kept off the fund the more they would be entitled to receive up to the maximum amount allowed. Old Men's Homes would then be unnecessary, as plenty would be glad to board the old people for the price of their pension.' Of course I have only given a rough outline of my views on the matter, and I shall be glad if anyone can offer better —I am, &0., THE BROTHERHOOD OP MAN.