THE OLD AGE PENSIONER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 123, 27 May 1942, Page 6

THE OLD AGE PENSIONER

The urgent necessity of substantially increasing the present benefit of £6 16/6 per month must appeal to every unselfish citizen. This month the Government gave the old folk a rise of 1/6 per week, which Wiil just buy for them an extra halfloaf a day. But one needs look at the present rentals, a room that prewar was let at 10/ is now 15/ to 17/6 No one denies the poor old man his sole pleasure—his pipe; how can he buy tobacco at 2/llf per two-ounce tin. As for beer, well that is finished for him. Then, again, the necessity of clothing the dear old ladies must biiy from the second-hand dealer or, if lucky, accept the disused garments of a married daughter, or wealthier sister. The old folk have now an association of their own. \vhich one fears will cut no ice with this Government. I claim that at of a minimum of £2 weekly is necessary. Let the Government alleviate the hardships of so many of our pioneers, a large proportion of whom have in the past expended their incomes and savings to give their children worldly advantages that they themselves never enjoyed. It is necessary to add a word of warning that I deprecate the veiled threats of age pensioners concerning the coming election. AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM.