LONGER LIFE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20075, 16 April 1927, Page 7

LONGER LIFE.

EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRALIA. (Fbou Oub Own Coebebponpint.) SYDNEY, April 7. Offices in Sydney which sell annuities are beginning to find that they do not pay, in view of the marked increase in the expectation of life in Australia. In the decade of 1880-90, for example, an Australian baby boy Had an expectation of 47 years of life, whereas the baby boy born in 1920 has an expectation of 59 years. In the case of the baby girl, the increase in the expectation of life is that of the baby boy and a half a year more Offices, it is said which grant pensions to their employees, or which have pension funds to which employees contribute, are finding that rates of contribution will have to be revised. The position has raised the question in the press whether, if the actual life is prolonged, the work ing life should not also be prolonged in the case of those who are now lompulsorily retired at, say, 60 or 65 years, and who, in very many cases, have years of active life before them. The opinion has horn expressed that, in both Government and private service, it should be possible to constitute some authority to whom the suhiect of a man's strength and fitness (or work, on reaching the present compulsory retiring ago. could ho remitted for deter ruination. The point has been empha sised that it should not be solely those men who are in key positions to whom the privilege of continuing work should he given, and that the test of fitness for further work should not be solely age.