THE COLONIST. Published Daily—Morning. Nelson, Monday, September 5,1898. OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Colonist, Volume XLI, Issue 9265, 5 September 1898, Page 2

THE COLONIST. Published Daily—Morning. Nelson, Monday, September 5, 1898. OLD AGE PENSIONS.

If the welfare of the aged, and those who have failed to grasp rich possessions during a lifetime of toil, were simply left to those self-complacent selfish folk who have acquired wealth through scheming, and through not being burdened with an over sensitive conscience, there would be small prospect of a system of Etate pensions for the aged being adopted. The power of selfishness, however, cannot oppose the strength of numbers, but that fact renders it the more necessary that the majority should take care lest it advocates anything that is contrary to justice. There are people who declare that for a State to give pensions to needy people is inequitable, because those possessing means are compelled to provide for those who have not been thrifty. Such people would be quite prepared, so they say, to agree to a syßtem by which people be compelled to contribute sufficient to provide them with an annuity after attaining a certain age, but necessarily such a system could only benefit those sufficiently well off to keep up their contributions. Early in July the London papers contained references to the report ol Lord Rothschild's Commission on Old Age Pensions. That Commiswas set up to investigate over a hundred different schemes that were submitted to it, and its decision was that not one of the schemes submitted was feasible, or desirable. Its report set out that it had been reluctantly forced to the conclusion that any one of them would certainly injure rather than serve the be3t interests of the industrial population. The task of the Commission was confined however, to the considering oi schemes in which the State should supplement voluntary contributions, so that conditions were accepted that rendered a comprehensive enquiry utterly impossible. Why, in the name of ustice it may be .asked, should the State ba asked to contribute half the amount necessary to provide a pension for a mac who has been able to contribute sixpence per week, and also bo asked to contribute half the amount for a man who has been able to contribute a shilling a week? In the latter case', the State would have to contribute twice as much for the man in better circumstances as for the poorer one, and it would be farirom easy to justify such a procedure.. That every worker in a community is of value to the whole will scarcely be questioned, and if the assertion be admitted, it follows that the community owes a debt to the individual. Such a debt may fairly be admitted when the individual has outlived his strength, more particularly if his circumstances are considerably straitened, but its repayment should be on equitable lines and not in the way of mere charity. Those who have acquired sufficient for their maintenance would not need a pension, but there are many, who after a life of industry, through no fault of their own, axe without means. These have served the State, and helped others to acquire wealth, and if there is a debt due to them, the State ihould pay it. It has been urged that to grant pensions to the aged would be to discourage thrift, but we may ask where is the man of five-and-twenty who would waste his substance because of the prospect that in forty years time he would get a small pension, providing he lived as long ? The suggestion is absurd. That there always will be thriftless people may be taken for granted, but it is

well to remember that those who scrape together every farthing they can, do not perform the best service to the State. With the utmost care, however, a very large number of people will, so long as the present conditions last, lack the means of supporting themselves in comfort when they reach the age of 65. At present the aged poor are maintained by the people under a costly and pernicious system tliat is called charitable, but with the prospect of ' a pension at 65, men and women possessing a spark of independence, would strive very hard indeed to maintain themselves till they became entitled to tbe pension, and thus the State derive a practical &?y&a* Tfce lesson to be gained from the 'inquiry of the Commission referred to above is, that if any system of granting pensions to the aged is to be successful, its total cost must be defrayed by the State. That it will mean a considerable expenditure is not to be denied;, but in its favor it can be Bald that it will remove an Immense amount of anxiety and trouble from the shoulders of those who have contributed to the wealth of others and have during a long lifetime borne their share of the bur^ dens of their country,

Lecture this Eyesing.— The Rev W. H. Judkins, who is associated with the New Zealand Alliance, will lecture to-night, at 8 o'clock, at the Baptist Church, when his subject will be, " Prohibition Successes and Begalation Failures." Classes for Instruction* in Maori. — The Rev F. Bennett will meet those who may desire to acquire the Maori language at Mt Scaife's office at hatt-past seven this evening. Mi* Bennett's first course of lessons w'il give a thorough knowledge of the pronunciation and grammatical construction of the language, while the second course is intended for those who already have a fair knowlege of Maori grammar. These classes will afford an exceptional opportunity, which should be largely availed oi. The Late Oii-r Cloustos.— At tbe Prts byttrjan Ohuroh yeßterday, the Rev J. H< MacKenzie preaohed from the text " I leave (he world and go to the Father," suggested by the death of Capt Olcuston, who bad been an elder of the Presbyterian Ohurob for very many years. At tbe concision ol his address, Air MaoKenzie spoke a few words regarding the late elder, tailing of his deep interest in tbe Church, and the applicability of the wor jb of tbe Uxt to his passing away. Young Men's Institute. — Mr F. Worley will give a lecture at All Saints' Schoolroom at eight o'clock to-night on "Hydrogen." The public are invited. Nelson Tbottixg Club. — The annual meeting of this Club will be held at the Trafalgar Hotel at eight o'clock to-night. Nelson Sailing Club. — The annna) meeting of this Club will be held this even ing at the Customs House Hotel, at eighl o'clock. Salvation Army.— Major and Mrs Hold away, accompanied by a party of Maori Salvationists, will visit Nelson on Septembei 11th and 12th. As the Major is a native oi the Richmond district, he no doubt will have a hearty reception. A Takaka Arresi. — The case of William David Hartley, who it will be remembered was arrested at Takaka on a charge ol having obtained grass seed from a Manawatv farmer, was tried at the Supreme Court, Wellington, last week, and the jury returned a verdict of "f»6t guilty. The price of the seed had been paid afterthe commencement of proceedings, and accused's counsel contended that the case was one for civil proceedings, not for a criminal charge. Personal.— We are sorry to hear of the serious illness of Mr Edmund Hale, who h well known in athletic circles. We trust tc learn early that dangerous symptoms have disappeared. — Mr John Glen is recovering slowly from the effects of his recent accident, a more rapid return to good health being greatly retarded by a severe attack ol influenza. However, Mr Glen is now moving about, and his friends hope soon to see him quite restored. The Orphanage Escapees. — The two boys who escaped from the Stoke Orphanage were brought into town on Saturday morning by Mr John Rutherford who discovered them at his mill in Aniseed Valley. The Principal of the Orphanage asked the Magistrate to order a whipping, and accordingly Mr Robinson ordered the boys to receive six strokes each with a birch, naming certain conditions. The whippings were administered at the Police Station in th c presence of Sergeant McArdle and Brother Loetus, the Magistrate haying approved of the instrument to be used, a wisp of thin birch stems. We have been requested to state that one of the guilty boys has been an inmate of the Orphanage nc more than three months, having been committed there at the request of his father on account of proclivity for roaming abroad being uncontrollable in this respect. Presentation.— Yesterday afternoon, ai St. John's Wesleyan Sunday School, the Rev S. F. Prior, on behalf of. the teachers and scholars, presented Mr W. E. Fleming with a very handsome silver teapot, whicb bore the inscription, "Presented to W. E. Fleming by the Wesleyan Sunday School. Nelson, 1898." Mr Prior stated that the gift was an expression of affection for Mi Fleming, and appreciation of his valuable services as Secretary to the Sunday School for a period of ten years. The near approach of Mr Fleming's marriage to Miss Flossie Bond, second daughter of the Rev George Bond, had given those connected with the school the opportunity of expressing their good wishes for the future happiness and prosperity of Mr Fleming and his bride, He was asked to accept the present as a token of their good wishes. Mr Fleming, in responding, assured them that their handsome present would be treasured by his future wife and himself. He also thanked them for the kindness shown to himself, and for their good wishes. Mr Fleming leaves for Wanganui on Wednesday, where the wedding will take place. Parliamentary. — On Friday afternoon in the House, the Premier moved the second reading of the Old Age Pensions Bill, and said he calculated at presnnt five thousand persons would be entitled to the pensions, and £80,000 would be the net initiative cost. Captain Russell preferred a system of deferred annnities, whereby on payment of sixpence per week from 20 years of age to 65, a person on reaching tbe latter age would be entitled to a pension of £20 per year. The debate was continued in the evening. Messrs Morrison and Stevens spoke in favor of the Bill, and Mr Bolleston against, as he thought it would demoralise the community, and would be unjust to tbe industrious taxpayer. Mr Camoross thought the measure should apply to all, in order to remove the stigma of charitable aid from the recipients of the pensions. Mr Duthie contended that there was no sound basis for the proposals of the Bill, seeing that claims could be set aside. Mr John Hutchison favored the Bill, it being an honest attempt to deal with the question. Messrs Gilfedder ' and Hogg warmly supported the Bill. Mr Tanner considered the Gcheme should apply to all aged persons. Mr Kelly objected to pensions being paid out of direct taxation. Mr Lethbridge moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at ten minutes past midnight. A Good Story.— The Rev W. C. Woodward met with great success at Westport. He told at one meeting (says « Times ') an amusing incident that had come under his notice, that showed what a travesty is often made upon justice. A J.P., not one hundred miles from Maryborough, had become so intoxicated and boisterous in the local hotel that the hotelkeeper was glad to shout for five men to take this man home. They took him home shoulder high, one bearing before him bis stick, on which was his hat, to the whistling accompaniment of the " Dead March." On the Monday morn-

ing this same ifian had to sit upon the] Bench to adjudicate upon the case of a Maori, who on the Saturday, early in the day, had been arrested for drunkenness. The J.P. fined him five shillings, and read him a long lecture on the evils of intemperance. The Maori, outside the Courthouse, faced the J.P., and said, in all seriousness, "My golly, Guvment make me J.P., me fine you five pound, pakeha*"