Pensions for the Aged.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5280, 10 June 1895, Page 2

Pensions for the Aged.

The French Government in April last pro- . posed, and the popular Chambers accepted, ' a scheme of State pensions to aged work- j people. . It iB far from being a perfect moa- ! sure, or one whose basic idea ia sound. It provides that pensions shall be granted to workmen who have subscribed for ten years to benefit societies, raising their allowances to a maximum of 365 franca (about £9) a year. This is considered the alimentary minimum below which it ia uselesß to allow pensione. The Socialists resisted the pro- \ po9al, maintaining that all labourers were entitled to help in old age, and not merely such labourers as had subscribed to ! friendly societies ; but ultimately they ; gave way, and the Bill was allowed to pasa without a division. The credit voted was ,£BO,OOO a year, and the Socialists are in glee at what they consider the admission of their principle. The jubilation is justified, but it muet be deeply chastened by the reflection that the pension scheme I adopted is but a small instalment of j what is rightly asked, viz., the pensioning }of all honest workers— the treating of them as soldiers who have served their term in the army of industry. The London Speetaj tor holds that the rejoicing of the Socialists j is out of place, inasmuch as the conceßßion. is " a denial of the Socialist principle, a grant of aid not according to men's needs, but according to their merits in saving money." There is here a confusion between Socialism and Communism. It is the latter that has for its creed : " Each man according to his needs;" The creed of Socialism is : " Each according to his deeds."

Now, it is palpable that many of the people who make no provision for old age are those who have rendered the beat service to the State, by rear* iDg large families and supporting them by their own^indnstry, until they became producers and taxpayers. To ignore the claims of these is to commit an act of groes injustice, and to apply the rule, " Unto him that hath shall be given." It is well, however, to find Governments recognising their duty towards the worn-oat workers in a better way than by providing them with the cold shelter of a workhouse. In Germany the old-age pension scheme la subsidised — the State, the employer and the workman each paying a moiety towards the fund — and in England the schemes mesh in favour also provide for Government addition to the voluntary contributions of the thrifty workers. By-and-by, it may be hoped, the principle will be extended so as to secure the payment of pensions from the Consolidated Fund to all "unfit" workers, from whatever cause, save only personal improvidence, drunkenness, idleness or criminality. This is the form most approved in thia colony, where compulsion would be distasteful, and where public opinion recognises the absurdity of any plan whose leading feature should be the refusal of aid to those most entitled to it. The great "lion in the path" is the difficulty of guarding against imposture by the idle and improvident. But when we consider the cheese-paring way in which charitable aid is administered, we need not despair of an eld-age pension scheme being managed with prudence and

economy.