OLD-AGE PENSIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 18.

Otago Witness, Issue 2369, 27 July 1899, Page 34

OLD-AGE PENSIONS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 18.

The statement of the Registrar of Old-aga Pensions for the year ended March 31, 1699, was laid on the table. this afternoon. The r,e- r port states that the number of- pensions granted during" January, 1899,- in respect of which payments were made up. to the 31sfc March inclusive was 2133, and the amount paid was £3124. The amount paid in respect of other than pensions up to the 31st March " was £510. The total number of pensions granted up to the 31st March was 7487, representing a yearly payment of £128,082, the average pension being about £17 Is. Tho amount of absolutely forfeited instalments was £12 ss. The number of pensioners who died before the 31st March was 38, and the number of pensions cancelled was -six, representing altogether a yearly payment of £763 v The number of •-pension certificates-trans-ferred from one old-age pension district to another was 23, .e-It is scarcely to;be expected that the administration of a new measure will be altogether smooth at first. It is therefore b, matter of congratulation that few difficulties have presented themselves, and that an entirely new experience had been generally anticipated in the detailed provisions of the act aiid regulations. Under the existing act no provision is made for any payment to the representatives of a deceased pensioner. It seems reasonable that the portion of an instalment accrued up to the date of the pensioner's • death should be paid to the person who has defrayed the expenses of burial. It seems desirable also that near relatives, from whom a pensioner may legally claim maintenance, : should not be relieved by the Old : aged Peni sions Act of such responsibility. The Colo- ; nial Treasurer should be empowered to pay ! an instalment of pension which has been fori feited through non-delivery of the pension cer- . tifioate or other cause not being the fault or i:uglecl of the pensioner. In many districts no resident Government officer is qualified to> ! give a certificate as required on claims made by aboriginal Natives. It is suggested that whenever a Maori claimant has a knowledge of English the stipendiary magistrate might be authorised to accept the claim without such a certificate. Subjection 3 of section 13, rej lating to the method of calculating the joint income of husband and wffe has not been uniformly interpreted. It might be well to- remove all doubts os to the intention of this provision. The claims or some persons, who are otherwise qualified, have been rejected on the ground that they have not been natural- - ised subjects for five years, as prescribed by section 64 of tho act. Some modification of i thirs disability is 'suggested by the registrar, i The total number of pensions afc each rate ■granted up. to 31sfc March, 1899, is as fol- ! lows: —

The cost of administration was £510. The old-age age pensions are distributed throughout the colony as follows: — i Akaroa .. ..30 Naseby .. ..52 ; \mberlcy .. .. 4 Nelson .. .. 241 ■ Ashburton . . 136 New Plymouth . . 152 , i Auckland .. 436 Oamaru .. ..150 Balclutha .. 93 Onehunga .. 2fil Blenheim .. 105 Otaki .. .. 24 Chatham Islands 3 Paeroa .. ..20 Christchurch .. 824 Pahiatua .. 34 Clyde .. ..72 Palmerston North 84 Coiomandel .. 54 Palmerston Sth. 37 Culverden ' .. 4 Patea .. .. 8 Dannevirke .. 70 Port Awanui .. 8 Dargaville .. 21 Port Chalmers .. 112 Dunedin .. -. 613 Queenstown .. 67 Fadrlie .. .."5 Raglan. - .. 12 Feilding .. ..34 Kawene 13 Geraldine ■ . 54 Reefton .., .. 102 Gisborne .. 42 Riverton «. G8Greymouth .. 297 Rotorua .« .. 45 Greytown .. 57 Russell »„ ». r 44 Hamilton .. 124 Stratford -.. 23 Havelook .. 2 Taupo -, ..10 Hawera .. ..38 Tauranga .. 57 Helensville > ..145 Te Aroha .« „ 10 Hokitika, .. 382 Thames «• •• 209 Invercargill .. 354 Timaru .« .. ,95 Kaiapoi .. 177 Waimate .. ..47 Kaikoura .. 17 Waipawa .. 14 Lawrence .. 116 Wairoa- - J Marton 37 Wanganui •• 91 Masterton .. 63 Warkworth .. 66 Maungaturoto .. 44 Wellington .. 364 Milton .. ..81 Westport .. ..156 Mongomii -• 18 Whakatane ..18 Motueka 61 Whangarei .. 110 Napier .. •• 122 Whangaroa .. 1 The amount paid Christchurch pensioners is £14,060; Auckland, £7262; Dunedin, £10,387; Hokitika, £6715; Invercargdl,, £6145; Nelson, £4040; Wellington, £6335. v

A sale of work in aid of the Cromwell Presbyterian Church, held on Saturday night, realised about £23. At a working bee at Cromwell on the 19th inst. (reports the local Argus) the volunteer labourers rolled up early, and as five drays were on the ground a good day's work was clone, 310 loads of sand being shifted. While one party was shovelling sand into the drays, another was at work on the road where it was tipped, spreading out the sand. Quite a posse of ladies put in an appearance and served excellent refreshments, which were highly appreciated. In spite of numerous counter attractions T. Ross's winter sole still maintains i the lead for bargains. Fur necklets, were 3s 6d to 425, now lid to 253 ; good umbrellas, pretty handles, from Is 9d; ladies heavy winter capes or jackets, trimmed, braid, otf fur, were 15s 6d to 45s— now from 6s lid;! good macintoshes, were 21s— now 2s lid; ' oashinere wool stockings, with seamless feet, I from 10£ d pair; corsets, from Is lid; heavy 1 wool singlete, from lid ; pretty muslin apron*, • from 9d; kid gloves.from Is 6d; flannelettes* i towels, and everything reduoed gt T, Rofi'fe direct importer.^

Yearly pension, ' jcia 17 1G 15 14 ia 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5' 4 3 2 1 Number of pensions, 6399 .« 123 128 .« 124 . 73 .^ 99 •• 109 65 ... 71 .., 47 .4. 60 .„ 46 .M. M 28 .4, 37 «t 27 . .« 18 ~> 21- .^ 7 Arpount. £115,182 2,091 2,048 1,860 1,002 1,287 1,303 715 710 423 480 322 163 185 H 108 • 54 42 7