PENSIONS IN BRITAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23884, 11 August 1939, Page 16

PENSIONS IN BRITAIN

At the annual conference of the National Union of Railwaymen at Clacton recently, a resolution was moved calling for an increase in the old age pension to £ 1 a week as a step towards the removal of the present anomalies arising out of the inadequacy of the existing pension of 10s a week whereby, it was contended, 300,000 old-age pensioners had to remain in employment while younger men were kept on the dole and another 300,000 were compelled to seek public assistance, and maav others had to depend on ill-afforded relief from their children. The resolution stated that workers generally would willingly contribute their quota to the increased contribution necessary to bring about the reform, reports The Times. Mr A. E. Barnett (Lancashire) said he had been speaking to certain members of Parliament. and he was certain that the Government would shortlv announce an increase in old-age and widows' pensions in view of a genera! election. That would only ,be a red herring drawn across the country for the ,nurpose of returning again a National Government. . An amendment to delete the last sentence of the resolution was defeated by 54 votes to 26, and the resolution was carried.