The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1932. PENSION REDUCTIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1932. PENSION REDUCTIONS.

;1 ne least popular of the expenditure | adjustment proposals before Pardal meul has been the compulsory pen- | sifiii adjustments. As a contemporary ! pats it, in the material for discussion " itil which it has provided Parliament, the National Expenditure Ad- | justment Hill lias not belied the description of it by the Prime Minister as one ol the most far-reaching measures ever placed before the Legislature of this country. Tile process of financial adjustment is unavoidably painful, and the legislative proposals incidental to the process cannot but be unpalatable. A most regrettable feature of the Hill is undoubtedly that relating to the reduction of the pensions 'which constitute a charge upon tile Consolidated Fund, Nobody can derive the slightest satisfaction from a Aung the pruning knife applied to the pomponis' of old people, soldiers, I minors, widows and others whose circumstances the State has recognised n> deserving of special consideration.

But at least discrimination lias been avoided in that- it is an all-round reduction that is to be made, and this has been decided on, of course, only because of the exigencies of the financial situation. Necessity is a hard master, iind it is (lire necessity that ! is over riding at the present time all phases of the financial prohem and compelling the Government to take steps of which otherwise it would never dream. The adjustment of the national expenditure must be affected. In bringing it about the Government is observing as closely as possible the principle cf equality of sacrifice. Tf it were possible for it to secure, by some means which have not yet been explored, the revenue which would cnublp it to maintain pensions start ailowaoes at their present figure, the general feeling would be that it should act accordingly and avoid those particular ‘‘cuts.” But no sound alternative plan that would permit of this has presented itself. The criticism of the economy programme hais been purely of a destructive character. Not a single practical suggestion lues been offered by the opponents of the Government in Parliament as to how the saving that will he affected by a reduction. of pensions Could be avoided. The 'Government iiiiui-t slave money wherever it cii.ti. and in the discharge of tin*’ unpleasant duty it is distributing the sacrifice on the part of the I public as widely as possible. In thisrespect it is doing what has already been done in Australia. A? Air Forbes ! pointed out in the Ho ire, unless the j utmost economy and prudence wore exercised, it would not he possible to make even the reduced pension payments, or to meet the salaries of public servants at all. Not wholly to he ignored, moreover, ijs the consideration that for the reduction which is being made in pensions the recipients are p.ffnrderl a c-omppwntion in the in- | creased value of mrmov to-day in com- j periston with its radio when the pen- i dons were granted. j