OLD AGE TENSIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume C, Issue 11751, 1 December 1898, Page 3

OLD AGE TENSIONS.

TO I.HE EDITOR'. Sir.—l greatly admire the letter on the above subject in your last' Saturday’s paper. Your correspondent has hit the nail on the head. -There is -probably no .nation in the history of the world that has accumulated so much wealth as the British nation has during the present century, and yet, I think, that. v/c- have as a, nation, from the Queen. downwards, fallen into the sin or mistake of saving up too much , wealth for future generations, -while we allow the old, worn-out men of the present generation,

who have created that wealth, to remain in want. The accumulation <sf great wealth in the hands of a few persons is a recognised evil. It is like too much blood in the head while' the feet remain cold from the want ox it. Wo want- more circulation. If wc in New Zealand spend a. quarter of ' a' million a'year in old age pensions, we shall increase the purchasing power of the people and that will mean a better demand for ouv' produce and manufactures. It would be a grand ■ thing it 5 per cent of 'the , income of tire -whole British Empire could bs pub into a great pension fund for the benefit of all tho worn-out men of the Empire, and. it would be a great step towards the federation of the Empire if the old ago pensioners could get their pension pa-wjfto them in. whatever part of the Empire they might choose to reside. —I am, etc., A SMALL FARMER.