THE PREMIER AND OLD, AGE PENSIONS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 32, 15 December 1898, Page 6

THE PREMIER AND OLD, AGE PENSIONS.

f.' l^ ■ «c? 4 t^t %% A meeting promoted by the TrsS|^aW^abour Council, political organisations, agd the old people d$ was he(ld (say^'the Dunedin Star) >n Friday eveni^fe "it^h^Tidlore^es' H^H SBk the purpose of thanking the Premier^r hi^'lfforts in plaorfrgiitfe^Old Age Pensions Bill on the Statute Book. On the platform were the Hons. Swanson and M'Culough, M.L C.s, and Mr. Ho'land, M H.R., and others. The Hon. Mr. Jennings occupied the chair, Although the night was veiy wet and stormy, many aged people of both sexes were present, and at times were visibly affected. Speeches were delivered by the Chairman, Me&M#. Fiaser (yice-presidentcof the Trades and Labour Council), J. F. Arnold 1 (of and several of the oldest residents of Auckland in supportof the motion of thanks, which was carried unanimously by acclamation, followed by cheers for Mr. and Mrs. Si-ddon. The Premier, in responding, >»aid that nothing had given him greater pleasure during his public career than to address such a meeting. But he could assure them Le did Dot deserve special thanks. The best reward for nioi ell, his colleagues, atd those who a-bisted them was to find that the n. eawure Lad passed. As it was the duty of the S ate to proteut.the young, so he maintained it was their duty to see that want did not overtake the deserving aged. He inttanced the case of the failure of the City of Glasgow Bank and the Australian Banks to show how the thrifty suddenly found themselves in need. New Zealand had aroused the interest of statesmen in many lands by passing this measure, and many inquiries were being made with regard to it, and for copies of the Act. He did not care what his opponents calledi it r the- fact was that Parliament had willtd. that the ooloniste who hftd helped, to make the country what it ia, and who, in their old age, found themselves in straightened circuni^tancts," should not be allowed to want. He maintained that they had as much right to their pensions as the old Civil servants, the j udgea, or warriors. He -was sorry to hear that some of their soldierb w no had gallantly fought their battles in the old days had perished on the gnmfields or by the wayside through want, but it gladdened his heart to know that by ,the »passing of- this measure such a sad occurrence would be almost an impossibility. Mr. Seddon maintained that this legislation would tend in the direction of making people lead good lives, for the person who broke the law and was punished forfeited bis right' to a pension. He believed in the cottage home system for the aged, as separation of the old people tended to shorten their days. He, therefore, called upon clergymen, philanthropists, and the different organisations to facilitate the applications of the aged for their pensions. Before long he hoped to see it proclaimed to the world that the whole of the Australasian colonies and the Mother .Country had done their duty to the deserving aged. It was gratifying to read Mr. Chamberlain's remarks that he hoped to see the Old Age Pension scheme established in the Mother Country before the Salisbury Government went out of office. New Zealand had laid a foundation upon which he (the Premier) noped t) see such a system built as would make it impossible for any deserving old man or woman to want the necesbaries of life.