SMALLER PENSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21153, 9 April 1932, Page 13

SMALLER PENSIONS.

DETAILS OF REDUCTIONS. OLD AGE AND WIDOWS. AMOUNTS OF" WAR GRANTS. NEW RESTRICTIONS PROPOSED. [BY TELEGRAriT. —SPECIAL BErOBTEB. ] WELLINGTON, Friday. Reductions in pensions and allowances pavablo out of (ho Consolidated Fund as from April 1 constitute an important feature of the National Expenditure Adjustment Bill The amount of the old age pension will be reduced from .in annual value of £45 10s to £4O 19s, diminished by £1 for every complete pound of income in excess of £39. Tho former basis was £52. In the case of married couples both in receipt of old ago pensions, they shall be entitled to pensions which shall not make their total incomes exceed £l2l. Previously the limit was £143. Children ol Widows. In the case of widows' pensions, the allowance for each child is reduced from ten shillings to nino shillings, and the maximum payable is reduced from £4 to £3 12s. A pension shall not bo granted of such an amount that the total incomes of a widow and her children, together with the pension, will exceed £1 14s a week (formerly £2), together with nine shillings a week for each child, or exceed £4 ]7s a week (formerly £5 10s), whichever rate is the less. The amount on which miners' pensions are based is reduced from 25s a week to 22s 6d. In the case of married men, the allowance for each child is reduced from 10s to 9s, and the allowance for children of widowers is similarly reduced. Tho maximum benefits are reduced from £4 5s to £3 16s 6d. It is also proposed to limit payment of pensions to widows of miners to a period of two years after the husband's death. At present, such pensions are paid for tho period of widowhood. Tho amount of the pension is also to bo reduced from 17s 6d to 15s 9d. Pensions granted more than 18 months before tho passing of the bill are to continue, but at a reduced rate until six months after the passing of tho bill. South African Veterans. South African veterans in receipt pi a special pension of £l3 are still entitled to that allowance in addition to the old age pension, but their aggregate receipts from all sources must not exceed £79 19s, compared with £97 10s at present. The rate of every pension, other than the economic pension, payable under the War Pensions Act to any dependants other than a widow, child or widowed mother of a soldier, or to guardians of soldiers' children, shall be reduced by an amount equal to 17j per cent, of the rate at which such pensions were payable on March 31 last, The maximum value of an economic pension payable tc a totally or partlydisabled soldier is reduced from 30s a week to 21s. An economic pension paid to a widow with one child is reduced from ten shillings to eight shillings. In the case of a widow with two or more children an additional allowance of 2s 6d for each child in excess of one has been payable, but the amount will now be reduced to 2s.

A further amount of 15s a week may at present bo granted by the War Pensions Board to a widow with or without children, but that will bo reduced to 12s. Family Allowances. The maximum for wholly dependent widowerl mothers is reduced from 20s <o 16s, provided that the income from all sources does not exceed £2 6s (formerly £2 10 s). Partly dependent widowed mothers are reduced on the same weekly basis, and the limit of income from all sources is reduced from 35s to 31s. The maximum payable as family allowances was fixed by the Act of 1926 at: £4, but that was reduced last year to £3 12s. The bill proposes a further reduction to £3 ss. Several general amendments to the pensions legislation are also proposed. ]n computing the income on which pensions are based, sick allowances monies subscribed by public subscription and compensation up to £IOO are to be taken into consideration. Restriction is also placed on (he right to receive two or more pensions. No person in receipt of a pension under (he Pensions Act, 1926, other than an old ago pension, shall henceforward be eligible to be granted or to continue to receive pension under Ul3 War Pensions Act, 1925, provided that any person in receipt of a war pension and any other fjension may elect to receive tho larger.