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Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1932, Page 4

Dkamno villi Iho c-ost ''f pensions, Hon. U. > asters in the. L'.'i'ishitive Pimm il last week said the burden is too heavy for the enunirv to h-av in 1.014 our pensions' lull amounted to ft. " 40.000. whereas last yean* It totalled £‘3,078,997. It is not no much a question of whether we, should reduce

pensions, or I low we showed reduce them, but whether we can continue to' pay any pensions at all. The pensions in many cases, had been given in times 1 of prosperity, when they could afford to pay them: He took no pleasure in advocating any reduction in pensions, hut necessity drove the Goveriihment to reduce them. In connection with the old-age pension in 1914 the okl-age pension wa,s £26 per annum. It started at £lB pea - annum. In 1914 it went up to £26, in 1917 to £B9, and in 1924, in special cases only, to £45 10s, but in 1925 it was made £45 10's to all old-age pensioners. Not only was the increase made in the pension?, but the rate of Income exemptions was increased considerably, which made it easier to get the maximum amount of pension, Ivor instance, the rate of exemption to get, the total pension in 1914 was £34, in, 1920 it was raised to £39, and today any person could earn £52 and sti.l get the maximum pension, at the same time getting tin; exemption of a home. Touching upon war pensions, Mr Masters said no cut had been made .as far as the disability pension to tile soldier wa® concerned. Tile disability pension to the soldier in, 1915 was £9l per annum, which was increased in 1923 to £lO4 per annum and had remained there. A supplementary economic pension wa,s given in 1918 of £52 per annum, which was raised subsequently to £7B per annum. The pension for a wife in 1915 was £32 10s per annum, and' this was raised in 1918 to £52 per annum, at which figure it had remained. In 1915 the child received £l3 per annum, which was sf» per week, and in 1918 this was raised to 10a per week. The, cut proposed in the Bill would bring this down tq j)s per week, or 4® per week more than was given in 1915, Special mention had been made to the widow, but the original pension'given to the soldier’s widow was £65 per annum, and tills was raised in 1918 to £7B per annum, plus supplementary allowance of £39. in 1923 it was increased from £7B per annum, plus £39 supplementary allowance, the widow receiving 10s per week for one child', plus £6 10s per anmrm of each additional child. The family allowance, which to all intents and proposes was a pension, was growing to such an extent that he anticipated this coming year it would cost tun country £120,000. The Bill providing for the family allowance was brought in only three or four years ago, nut the cost of the family allowance was growing steadily each year, and with the depression that had taken place it. would probably go on increasing. The average number of applications received for old-age pensions -was about 700 per annum, but last year over 2000 applied for old-age pensions!, and it w-.i.s anticipated this year that there would be. 3000 applicants for this pension.