PUBLIC OPINION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14681, 12 May 1908, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM YESTERDAY’S NEWSPAPERS.

(By Telegraph.)

OLD AGE PENSIONS. Mr Asquith does not protend to be solving all tho problems relative to a subject, tlie difficulty of which is incomparably greater in the United Kingdom, with, its forty-four millions of inhabitants, than in Now Zealand with / less than a million, and however disappointing the present scheme may seem to sanguine expeetanoy, it would be manifestly unfair to cavil at its * incompleteness, or oven at the anomalous features it may present. Having regard for tho formidable character of tho ultimate task, it is, perhaps, just as well that a method of procedure “by steps and stages” is alone possible, seeing that tho knowledge gained by observation during tho initial and experimental stages will be of great value when further developments come to he considered.—Dunedin “ Star.”

RAILWAY MATTERS. The Brnybrook accident, deplorable and regrettable as it is, may at least be regarded as 1 Laving done at least two good things. In the first place., it must lead, to an exhaustive overhauling of tho conditions prevalent upon, the Victorian railways, and. to such amendment and improvement in those conditions as are imperative in the interests of humanity and safety: and, secondly, it will give the people of New Zealand satisfaction to know that they travel upon the lines of the dominion with as little risk to life anxli limb as modern engineering science and a highly-trained and reliable railway, staff can •ensure. —“ Otago Daily Times.” BRITAIN’S OLD AGE PENSIONS.

While Mr Asquith’s budget is condemned by tho 'Daily Telegraph.” as “ the moist. rockless budget of modem times.” and welcomed by the “ Standard” and tho “Morning Post” as “sealing tho doom of freetrade," the leader of the labour party expresses himself as dissatisfied with the old ago pensions scheme, which is the cause of all tho trouble with regard to both the age and the income limits, hut whatever may become of Mr Asquith’s reputation as a financier, whatever may bo the fate of freetrade, and whatover may bo the disappointment of the champions of the poof at modesty of tlie instalment of relief which is now offered, this at least is a certainty and a matter for congratulation, that with more or less modifications the pensions scheme will pass and that it will not be repealed or restricted, but enlarged by succeeding Governments. —“ Evening Post.” OLD AGE PENSIONS. The fund necessary for a universal pension at Bixty-five is actually great, but small relatively to the enormous income of tho forty-four million British people. The revenue of income tax payers alone increased by over £286,000,000 in the ten years from 1896 to 1906. It means only twopence three-farthings a week contributed by each, or about a penny more income tax from the rich, or one-sixth the value of alcoholic liquor guzzled by tho people every year.—“ New Zealand Times,” , SEDITION IN INDIA. The liberty extended to the Indian Press has been, tho cloak of the most malignant sedition, and the outcome of tlie whole philanthropic attempt is that tlie Government is confronted by a, ohoice between renewed restriction and perilous leniency. There can bo no question in tho minds of those who realise the position of their fellow-country-men in India as to what is the duty of the Anglo-Indian Government. Unless tho Empire is prepared to, abandon to anarchy and ruin the hundreds of millions who are now living iu peace and security under tlie British flag in the great dependency, it must toko suoh steps as will vindicato the law and will nip in tho bud tho growing conviction that the Anglo-Indian Government lias been tolerant only because it is weak and afraid.—“ New Zealand Herald.” PENSIONS AND TARIFF REFORM.

At present tho only practicable means of increasing tbo Imperial revenue without directly impoverishing any one section of the people appears to be by way of tariff reform, and it is natural that ardent Cobdenites should fear lest the champions of the new fiscal policy may find in old age pensions a strong argument in favour of the revolutionary changes they advocate. When Mr Chamberlain began his crusade in favour of tariff reform he suggested that the surplus revenue derived, from the proposed taxes on foreign imports might he used as the nucleus of an old age pension fund, and though tho proposal was heartily denounced and was speedily dropped, it would be a curious illustration of the “poetic justice” that sometimes obtrudes itself into political life if Mr Asquith’s old ago pensions should prepare the way for the great reform which Mr Asquith himself resists, and which Mr Chamberlain has done more than any other living statesmen to promote. —Auckland “ Star.