OLD AGE PENSIONS IN VICTORIA.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11493, 28 January 1903, Page 6

OLD AGE PENSIONS IN VICTORIA.

In pursuance of the eours-? of retrenchment which has been forced upon the Victorian tJovtrnment the State Treasurer has been •overhauling the administration of the Old Age Pensions Act, in which he has found gross abuses. Last year the pensions cost the State £292,000, but this year Mr Shjelu hopes to reduce the amount by some £60,000, and this without inflicting any hardship upon those whom the Pensions Act was intended to benefit. As the author of a, scheme of old age pensions

which had as its object not only tine ielie:

of deserving old colonists, but. the encouragement of thrift among the people, Mr Shiela is not en&mouied of the present Victorian Act, from which the latter feature is entirely absent. "We have got

"on utterly false lines," he said recently, " with indiscriminate State benevolence in "this direction, but the great difficulty

'ia to get back on to other and right "lines." The system has been and still is operating injuriously in a number o* cases, but the people have been taught to rely upon the State, and the State must now accept the responsibility. Mr Shiels admits, (however, that so iar as supplying the necessities of existence the Act has been of benefit in very many grievous and deplorable cases, and has proved v boon to thousands of old people. But he asserts that its operation "has been and is "encouraging thriftlessness* and dependence upon the State, while it is weakening the sense of filial obligations and

"the ties of kinship." It is more surprising that this latter drawback should operate in Victoria than in New Zealand, for, unlike our Old Age Pensions Act, which makes no demands upon a> would-be pensioner's family, tihe Victorian measure compels those who are in a position to do so, to contribute to the support of their aged parents. The possession, by a Victorian . claimant . for a pension, of sane and daughters capable of supporting Him, or assisting in his support, has apparently the same effect in reducing the amount of pension granted n» tJhe possession of property by a New Zealand claimant. The abuses that" have crept into the administration of the Victorian Act Beem ito have arisen out of care-

less or insufficient investigation into the family clrcumetances of claimants, and tihe Department is now ascertaining whether those wh.o should, and , could, "help in the maintenance of parents are carrying out their responsibilities, and also whether the pensioners tliemselves are deserving subjects for aid. Mr Shiele's estimate that out of the 12,892

pensioners about 8000 are genuine cases for relief, bag yet to be fully confirmed, but the. reports he is receiving from departmental officer* show that there has been a large and unnecessary leakage of public money. The pension in Victoria haa already been reduced once from 10s a week to Bs, and for tihe sake of the deserving pensioners it is desirable that the undeserving cases should bo weeded out of the lists. Mr Shiels's assertion that the Aci it) "weakening the sense of filial "obligation" receives strong justification from reports such as these: — 'iso. B—Pension 6s. Pensioner addicted to drink. Resides with wife and single son. Son has 183 acree good land; also Jiorse.?, waggon, dog-cart, and farming implements. Had a hundred acres under wheat last year. This year nas same acreage imder wheat (3i bags /per acre, worth 22s per bag). Pension cancelled." "No. 10~Pension 6s. Lives in hut belonging to her son-in-law. Has 10 children, all over 21 years. Two farm labourers, single, nearly always in employment. One -son in fair circumstances, managing a station. Two married daughters in comfortttbile circumstances, and wefl able to support tiheir mother. Pension cancelled."

The tendency to jump at fclie opportunity of evading the obligation* which duty, if not affection, impose upon a man's grownup eon* aad daughters, has been noticeable in New Zealand, where one of theflrat result* of the Pensions Act coming into force waf a number of applications in the magistrate*' Couste for the reduction of maintenance order* compelling cone and daughters to contribute to the support of their aged parents. It reveals a sad deterioration in the moral tone of the community when such conduct escapes condemnation.