WIDOWS’ PENSIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3017, 10 January 1912, Page 10

WIDOWS’ PENSIONS.

j-'HE NEW ACT IN OPERATION. Tlie Widows’ Pensions Act, which was passed last session, camo into operation on the first day of the New Year. Tho act is being administered by the Old-ago Pensions Department, and alicady a considerable number of applications have been sent in to the department by widows left with young children. Sittings of the Pen- , sions Court will be held some time this month, and payments will be made to the qualifying applicants as from January 1. The hearing of the oases will be much on the same lines as the procedure in tho Old-age Pensions Court. Tie decision of the magistrate is to be final and con- , elusive. 1 The procedure in connection with applications for widows’ pensions are fairly simple. Tho applicant has to fill in an application form, giving her married and maiden names, stating her occupation, date and place of birth, the date and place of her marriage, the date of the death of her husband, and the names,and ages of her children under 14 years, who are dependent on her for support. Tho applicant has also to give particulars of any landed property or money asset which she may possess, and she is not permitted to deprive herself of any property in order to secure a higher pension. The possession of property is not, of course, a disqualification as far as the granting of the pension i« concerned. The rates of pension are: —£12 per annum if the widow has.one child to support; £lB if there arc two children; £24 if there are three children; and £3O if there are more than three. Each of flies© amounts is subject to a reduction of £1 for every £1 by which the annual income of the widow and her children exceeds the sum of £3O. “Annual income” means the aggregate income from all sources (other than personal earnings and a pension under the act, not exceeding together the sum of £100) for tho year ending one month before tho commencement of tho pension year. It is hardly necessary to add that applicants, to be successful, have to be of sober habits anti good moral character. The statements made by them on their application forms are required to be corroborated by a neighbour or friend. It may be noted that the pension will not be paid in respect to any illegitimate child, unless the child had been legitimated bv tho subsequent marriage of the parents. The pension will also not bo paid in respect to any child whose mother -was not a resident in New Zealand six months before its birth. Further, there is no provision for payment of the pension in respect to adopted children, or any child horn out of New Zealand. If a child reaches the age of 14 years or dies, the pension will not bo reduced that year. Tho pension is to bo payable by 12 equal monthly instalments, the first being payable on the Ist of February. If at any time a pensioner dies, or marries, or ceases to reside in New Zeaand, her pension shall cease. Widows’ pensions are inalienable, whether by way of assignment, charge, execution, bankruptcy, or otherwise.