PUBLIC SERVICE PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 279, 19 August 1920, Page 5

PUBLIC SERVICE PENSIONS

«sir—T'trust that if Hio Government is realy taking into consideration the quoHon of assistance to those old public » vants to whom the war has brought conbcation of at least halt the value of their little incomes, it should not bo done on the principle of charitable aid. This has already been the case with tho Maori War pension. It was originally riven to those who had been actually under fire in the Maori War. About three years ago a bonus was given to the poorer of these pensioners who poEsessed private means of less than £200 a year, lncluahyr the pension. Thus a man having ,£199 a year received a bonus, yVhile another, having one pound more, gets none. 'f?\s was purely charitable nid. a bonne on poverty, and not a war pension. Why should not the charity pnnoiple, if worthy of wide adoption, be applied to members of Parliament and Ministers? Let a member who has no privato means receive £W0 a year, white a wealthy member receives loss, or nothing l . Such a method would, however, be purely chaTltaWc aid, not honoraria, n« at present. In regard to superannuation, charity as applied to it is still more unjust. Publio servants have deductions made from their salaries, according i to the amounts uf salaries. They have'contributed for years on n regular scale. The man who has a large deduction mado annually has as much right to the corresponding retiring allowance fixed by Aot as tho smallest contributor has to his small allowance. It is a contract, a plain agreement. The fund has now In Hand X 1.285.198. There are only about 800 por ,mm receiving luperawraa'ttoa, anU the

average amount paid to these is J2148. (See, report of board.) Thin is purely (» nominal amount, since tno actual-volute of dCI 46 in bank paper is '£13 or loss—a magnificent income InO'ced. The highest retiring allowance paid is X 506 (prison! value i:250) and very vory few get any- \ thing near that amount. If the country wishes to be honest and keep tno conn-act to the superannuated men, it should he done as a measure of Justice, noi us charitable aid to a few. Help poor and ' worthy men, but first bo just to tnoso who trusted in Government promises mil who iind them kept'only in tho iettor, not in the spirit.—l am, etc., . . (JOING WEST.