OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1501, 25 July 1912, Page 4

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

IN NORTH ISLAND AND SOUTH.

Soiuo exception is taken by tho Hon. F. >[. 13. fisher (Minister in Charge of Old I Ago Pensions) to a statement which appeared in Tuts Dominion yesterday ia reference to tho inability of tho Old Ago Pensions Department to supply certain statistical information. The point raised in the articlo to which tho Minister took exception \Vw that (hero was a greater number of old'age pensioners in tho South Island than in tho North Island, though this island has tho larger population. Mr. Fisher remarked that tho Napier "Telegraph" raised this point in 1001), when it was ascertained that tho percentage of pensioners to people of the required ago in tho North Island was.3l per cent., while the corresponding percentage in tho South Island was .13 per cent'., yo that really there was a very small difference. The number of perrons of fri years of n.':e and sver in the North Island in IHllfl wa.s lfl.SSi). Of this number, G22l>, or 31 per cent., drew li# \wnsion, Til tlie Foulli Islniid Iht? time people (!"> Years of age.and over numbered 21 .MM. of whom 8170, or 83 per cent-, drew Iho pcu-ion. , . . At the iire.sent lime (three years Inter), Air. I'Mut slated, the position has .changed considerably.. The percentage of peiiMonors lo people of ihr> required o#o is oil per cont. in Mo North Maud aiid onlv 2.'. per cent, in the South Island. Of those people who ore 65 years 0 age and over ' w .1."i7 reside in tho North Island, of whom (M are pensioners, and 23.213 reside in the South Island, of whom iio.it aiv pensioners. _ The Registrar of Old Age Pensions explains that the difference i« probably dim to the fact that benefits which have lieon granted during the last three y<avs havo enabled more people in tho South Island to qualify for tho pension than in tho North Island. As an instance, the Registrar names the higher allowance for homes, viz., .£3lO, which was embodied in a recent amendment of the Act.