OLD-AGE PENSIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2311, 2 October 1908, Page 2

OLD-AGE PENSIONS.

THE AMENDMENT BILL.

[Speciai, to “Times.”] WELLINGTON, Oct. 1. The Old Age Pensions Amendment Bill contains the following provisions: Interest oil a life assurance policy or an annuity purchased from an assurance company. Is not to be regarded as accumulated property. The period of sobriety which is necessary to qualify an applicant to a pension is reduced from five years to one year. The y-alue of the house which an applicant may own and reside in and • still get a pension is increased from £3OO to £OSO. In fixing the amount of pension the applicant’s income for the last preceding year is to be deemed his yearly income, and the property owned by him at the end of that year is to be deemed to be his accumulated property, but if the Magsicrate is satisfied that during the cur!,.’it vear the applicant will- probably a.-,aide to obtain an income of raoro ■ cgn £'oo. he may base his calculaas cn the income which the' apijuv. ill probably he able to obtain, -jO >f* the income he actually ob-

tained . c. previous year. In renewing a pension cortfieate, the Magistrate may increase, as well as decrease, the amount of the pension, or he may cancel it altogether. The Magistrate may 7 also suspend a pension certificate for any period up_ to six months in the event of a pensioner being convicted of drunkenness or any offence punishable by imprisonment- for one month of. any : longer period. If the pensioner is twice convicted of such an offence, the Magistrate must, on the application ol the Registrar, make an order suspending the certificate for a period not less than six months nor more than twelve months. A certificate must he cancelled when a pensioner is disqualified from applying for a pension for twelve months.. If, on the death of a pensioner, any money is owing to a charitable institution for liis maintenance or relief, the Minister’may, if he thinks fit, direct that the amount, or a portion of it, shall ho paid out of the instalment due. Chinese or Asiatics, even though British subjects by birth, are barred from getting a pension.