OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 744, 17 February 1910, Page 5

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

LAN lEISHMST.'CASE,iOTOVIINQ' .; ;',O-• ; .;^ : :^25O,(|OO.:A:: 1 TBAE. ~:■; s ' ~' K 'BjTeleßrapn-Preaß Association-CoDyrlpht' /':-; v//';'/:;/; //-./Lpndoiv February. 15.-;/ ,;. ,Ttie.;King's -Bench at' Dublin'heard a ste'st, case .affecting; old; age pensions total-, ling, a , quarter . Of. a/ million' pounds.,/. .'■; ; /. The: Court upheld discontinuance of the pension; on the'ground that the pensioner ■ was.un'dex'7o-years (the age-limit -'under ;/('pXTftabRDIN ABY,/ LONGEVITY. , ; ■; .DIFFICULTIES ! AS TO'.PROOF'OF: : .■:;-v;: : -.:yv;/^<v^;AGE.;:-: ? .^;,;v:,:i' r \[,' ;"A fact;which.comes but , from" the'(old' age pension) figures is the; extraordinary longevity of the Irish," wrote the "Daily .Mail".' last September;; "The , 'total calculated number pi "persons aged seventyand over in'lreland was ■.'placed- officially in 1907 'at;i73,p00." But of these/niany' would bo/disqualified/, as paupers .and persons; With incomes: afcovo th' 6 limit. .Yet Ihero are .11,000 more , Irish pensioners than the, .total, number- of '-Irish persons; over seventy,, as.'.calourated.^.,.';: 1 '///; /"An'explanation.of this;astounding, exception to : - the : : vital statistics which are correct elsewhere .throughout the. world has Jet to be; given! ■ / .■■>■;::..-.' .'■■■■■/.,•■' '.. "The expenditure per head of the population -on pensions; in , tho three countries .in the .first eight" months works out at:— ■'England .;;....;..;;;..........,;:.'ls.' 10d. U* l reland '...;.....:.;..........,.,... 7s. od. : .-5c0t1and;..........,..;.,.......;.;. 25.5 d.: :.■- ■':■■ "So ; that England, who' pays most- of 'the taxes,- has only Is. lOd. per head spent among ; her people; the Irish, who draw upon-England, get 7s. per head; and the Scotch,; who pay, less than England,. !get 25.. sd. per head," . ■ ■-• :' "The■■' Times- points l out that the.difficulty, of -obtaining in Ireland direct evidence of age is very great.for old people, because the registration..of births is of comparatively: recent introduction ; there j and consequently ■'.. ft number. of applipa■tious have been.made in good faith.which ■have-i-broken" down' on' investigation.. While . acquitting such applicants'- ol fraudulent intent; "The Times"- holds .that it ; is imperative on the Government to-.investigate. ■; ■ :':,•.■'•■. '■'-.;..;'■■'■■ .-'. ■".;.. ■--■: ' : TRENCH PENSIONS.: '."■ '',", ON THE GERMAN. TRIPLE BUEDEN -■■:;;, , .'. r ', ■." ■.." SYSTEM. .'.-■. > ■■ i ■■; '■ -■.'• '■'"■[] . ' ... ''.'.Paris;' February . 15. The; French. Senate,' having ,- twice . rejected -the Chamber of Deputies' Old Ago Ponsions' Bill because it was crude' and ill-considered,. prepared. a'. new measure, vfhich was unanimously adopted. '■ . TKe'Bill is .'moultlod upon German lines, workmen and employers contributing equal portions to the pensions,'the State' adding/further; contributions...: '■'.. . Men arc to' contribute, nine francs a year, women six francs, and boys four' and .a half.:' The age-limit is 65 years, •