CIVIC PENSIONS.

Northern Advocate, 15 September 1914, Page 5

CIVIC PENSIONS.

A PATRIOTIC PROPOSAL,

The Whangarei Borough Council, at its meeting last night, received a communication from Rotorua with reference to pensions for the dependents of contingenters. It was pointed out that at present the maximum pension was £38 a year for widows, and from £ 4 to £10 a year for children, and the suggestion was that civic pensions Should be established. A further suggestion was that the various local bodies should urge the Government to establish military pension boards with the object of the local authorities providing suitable pensions. The Mayor said that the idea did not appeal to him at all. He believed that it would be establishing a wrong principle. It was a matter for he Government to. take up. Cr. R. H. Harrison said that it was a ridiculous proposal. Taking an extreme possibility it might be that a Whangarei man would be the only one killed out of the New Zealanders. He would have rendered service to all the Dominion, yet, according to the proposal, Whangarei would be the only borough called upon to support the relatives. It was a matter for the consolidated fund,

The town clerk (Mr A. L. Dlxon) pointed out that Rotorua was not a borough—it was a Government township.

Tt was decided to reply unfavourably to the proposal, and to point out hat all pensions should be paid from the consolidated funds and not by the civic authorities.