Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1809 Old Ago Pensions.

Manawatu Herald, 25 April 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1809 Old Ago Pensions.

- . .. — + . It is yet a matter of very much doubt if the old age pension scheme will work out to the advantage of the recipients and at a reasonable cost to the payers of taxes. It is not a scheme to encourage thrift, as it is a law unto itself giving to him that hath nothing and taking away from him that hath. There can be no doubt, however, that there are a number of people who will receive a pension who deserve it from the pecuniary and lonely position they are placed, but there are also numbers who will claim this £18 a year, simply because it is to be had, but who were comfortably provided for by their relations. We do not need to go very far also to learn that a great deal of the pension money will not be wisely spent, and will be practically so much money thrown^away. As the law has been passed the best must be made of a bad job, but that it is likely to remain upon the Statute book for any period is shown by the saving clause in the Act which orders that a notification shall be printed on every pension-cer-tificate that every pension is granted subject to the provisions of any amending or repealing Act that may hereafter be passed, and no pensioner shall have any claim for compensation by reason of its being affected by any amending or repealing Act. The Act was sufficiently startling even when viewed as affecting the white population of the colony, who were under the thumb of all laws, general and local. These are the people who by the Customs duties find the money for the Consolidated Fund out of which these pensions have to be paid, and who, by local taxation found the money for the establishment of hospital* and charitable institutions,

and have generally had to beitr their share in the roading, development* and settlement of the colony. It was urged that as so many c-f the early" settlers had had to bear the heat and burden of the day, and in the hurly-burly of the early struggle for existence had come to the wall, they were entitled to some consideration from their more fortunate fellowsettlers. The Act, however, makes a vaster stride than this, as it is made to apply to the aboriginal natives of New Zealand. It cannot be urged by anyone acquainted with the early history df" this Colony that the Natives have done much towards its development. For years any portion of their land Was exempt from any sort Of taKatiOii for" general of local purposes. Roads were made and bridges built at the cost of the early settlers, towards which the Maoris gave not a penny. Even as years advanced great care was exercised that only Native land within five miles of a main road was liable to local taxation, though the European was rated no matter how he was placed. When population grew in a district the Natives, induced by their dislike of the ways of the Pakehas, their unpleasant way of impounding Maori horses, also by rates being demanded from them, including the objectionable dog-tax, have generally sold out their holdings and moved elsewhere, for which they received a very much increased vahie to what their forefathers sold the district to the Government in a lump sum. They thus escaped their contribution to the hospitals. Our readers will bear in mind that the occupation of New Zealand was not obtained by force, but by purchase, and it was admitted that the aboriginals owned every acre in the three islands. To this day the Natives hold an exceedingly large area of land which is being purchased by the Government from time to time. It will thus be seen that in 1840 every Native was a wealthy man as far as land went, and as the Natives decreased in numbers, and the land yearly increased in value it is curious why there should be any claimants under the Pension Act. Whatever may be said against the Maoris it cannot be urged that they let any of their number starve. A Native who had managed to part with all his property would be sure of a home with his people, sharing of their food, and they thus took, and still would do, the care of their old and poor into their own hands. It seems thus a pity that the Government should so unnecessarily step in. If, as we all feel sure is and must be the case, notwithstanding the knowledge of the inhabitants and the police which is sought by the Stipendiary Magistrates, as to the character of claiming European pensioners, some serious errors are and will be made, how much more are they likely to be made when it becomes a trial of skill between a Native and a Magistrate ? The Judges of Native Land Courts experience great difficulty in arriving at the positions of Natives in large blocks of land, as the Horowhenua Block is a good"instance of, therefore the Maori applicant has merely to say he possesses no property, and has no income to gain the much-coveted {18 a year. The Act directs the Magistrate to be guided in respect of income by any customary rights used or capable of being used in respect of land the title to which has not been ascertained, as he in his discretion considers propsr ! A case illustrating this occurred at last Court day when a Native on being asked what his income was, declared he had none, and being pushed as to whether he was not a fisherman, said he had only caught enough fish to buy himself a suit of clothes. He must have lived somewhere, and eat something, but the particulars were not forthcoming. It is well known that up the Wanganui River there are "some hundreds of thousands of acres of Native land passing through the Land Court now sitting at Pipiriki, which will be purchased or dealt with by the Government. No one can say positively what interest many of the Natives have even in this Block, whilst along the Central Railway Route and in the Urewera country there are still larger areas. ., We are asked to find the money to provide pensions to Natives because a few of the same race hold land that is being made but little use of by them, and yet they will not part with. To-day in New Zealand there are 39,854 Maoris, and Mr Seddon should introduce similar levelling laws for the Maoris as he has seen fit to do for his own people, when pensions to ancient Natives would be unnecessary.