PENSION COURT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1403, 19 January 1899, Page 25

PENSION COURT.

FIRST SITTING IN WELLINGTON, f Some 50 old people on Monday attended I the first sitting in Wellington of the Court set up to inquire into applications for old age pensions. The majority of them appeared to be intellectually vigorous and well able to take care of themselves, although there were some ■ who made their appearance on the arms of attentive friends or relatives, or with the assistance of walking-sticks or crutches. Many of the applicants had a tidy, and, indeed, well-to-do appearance, and might have come on quite a different errand. The study in ages was quite an interesting one, some of the oldest of the pension-seekers being robust and vigorous, whilst there were those amongst the comparatively young painfully decrepit. One feature of the proceedings was the prompt production by the majority of applicants of birth and other necessary certificates, some of them with antiquity writ large on every fibre. It is not surprising, however, that there were others who had not "tho scratch oi a pen" to support their testimony. An impressive fact was the manner in which the bulk of the old people-both men and women—gave their evidence— straight away, intelligently, without sign of perturbation, without stumbling or contradiction. Many of them may not have been able to read or write but that the r colonial experiences had sharpened their wits was undoubted. Mr Kenny, Stipendiary Magistrate, presided and exhibited creat tact and patience in his method of dealing with the applicants, and commendable discretion in his manner of asking some necessarily disagreeable questions. The foi Lowing cases were de ?L J-f/lugarde, 79; in the colony 44 vears —On making a calculation, it was found that the applicant's income last year was £39. As the Act provides. tirt for everv £1 of income over £34, £1 is to be Sen off the £lB allowed, it was found that £5 would have to be deducted in the present case. The sum of £l3 was therefore granted conditional on an age certificate being produced. . Susan Finney, 65, arrived in the colony 11th February? 1872.-Pension granted subject to proof of age being obtained from Christchurch. Marianna Cosgravo, 65 yearsi of age on the sth September, arrived in the colony in the Abuka in 1861 or 1862. Had been away from the colony two years and two months, returning m 18j5.-The Court ruled that the pensioner had not been residing in the colony continuously for 25 years, but said that she would be able to renew her application m 1900—Jo years from the time of her return. John B. Leslie, 75. came Jo New Zealand in the Commodore in 1851. Went Home with Bishop Solwyn and toGeorge Grev in 1853, but ret urned in 1861, been continuously resided here since.-Ap-plication for full amount granted Robert G. Burn, Go, arrived in New Zealand, March 1871; lived continuously in Wellington ever since. Had earned £32 10s last year.—Pension granted subject to certificate oi -ood conduct being Pr j dU j e( popplewell, 71; came to New Zealand in 1851; no earnings.—Full pension granted. . __ Bridget McMahor single, 66; came here in 1873.—Pens,u a granted. G A. Taylor, 6G. in the colony 66 vears.—Postponed fo • evidence as to age. Edwin Hills, 70; d.dn't know his age; arrived in emigrar' ship.—Application deferred pending evi ,;nce of age. James B. Whiteb- d, 71; came out m a man-o'-war; got ,is discharge; took part in the Maori »,- ■; had a little place at the Hutt which . a wa«hed away by floods.—Pension gran tod. Elizabeth Downc . 71; came to the colony in 1841; livi ;, on charitable aid. —Pension granted. , , Elizabeth Pye, 80 arrived in 1874 bj the Euterpe. Bv ,•! -nat Pensioner would not be eligib' .or a certificate till August next. John Foley, 64.—Adjourned till June of this year. n . ~ , William H. Hardy, 65 . Adjourned, pending proof of age. Thomas Igoe, 68, bachelor; came to colony in 1865; li.cd at Makara ever since. Granted if evidence as to character obtained. William Parker, 77 ; came to colony in 1874. Postponed till June next, the claimant not having yet been 25 years in the colony. Pensions of £lB per year were granted in the following cases: William Hollis, age 65, 30 years in the colony; David T. Smith, 75 years, 41 years in the colonv; Arthur Brown, 68 years 45 years in iV -ilony; J. H. O'Connell, 78 years, 33 ••• in the colony; Harriett Billman ', s, 42 years in the colony; Caroline J. .... ie, 70 yoars, 26 years in the colony; John Toney, 88 years, 56 years in the colony ; William Millar, 7o years, 26 years in the colony; Mrs Josephine Macdonald, 68 years, 39 years in the colony; Henry Parker, 75 years, 5G years in the colony; Mary Ann Weaver, 67 years, 43 years in tho colony; Mary Ann Potter, 74 years, 26 years in the colony; Stephen Ralph Matthews, 79 vears, 50 years in the colony (subject to certificate of character); Eliza Hyland, 69 years, 30 years in the colony; Joseph Johnson, 69 years, 42 years m the colony (subject to certificate of character); Charles William Keys, 80 years, 60 years in the colony; Annie Snow, 66 years, 55 years in the colony; Thomas Snow, 65 years, 57 years in the colony; John Cameron, 72 years, 37 years in the colony; John Webb, 66 years, 38 years in the colony; Mary Andrews, 74 years, 43 years in the colony (subject to certificate of character); Elizabeth Martha A. 33 years in the colony; Elizabeth Manning, 70 years, 26 years in the colony;

James Munro, 75 years, 35 years in the C °Edward Player, 80 years, 38 years in colony, was refused an application as he earned over £52 last year. Other pensions were granted as follows :—Stephen Agate, 73 years in tho colony, £l4; Sarah Ann Kens', 6y years, 56 years in the colony, £ld J -Ellen Bracken, 68 years, 57 years in the colony, £l2; John Findlay, 65 years, £l2 (subject to certificate of character). About 25 claims for old age pensions received from persons in or near Dannevirke, were to be investigated at the Courthouse on Thursday by Mr Turnbull, S.M. The total number of claims registered at Dannevirke is 82. Dunemn, January 12. Mr Carew, S.M., was engaged to-day investigating old age pension claims. The Court presented a curious appearance with tho halt, the lame and tho blind collected together. There are up to the present 425 applications, and '75 were set down for hearing to-day. Fifty-three were called on before the Court rose, and certificates were issued in 23 cases, all for the full amounts save two. Three claims were dismissed and 27 were deferred for corroborative evidence and further irquiry.