MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD Circulation, 3.200 Copies Daily. FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1906. UNIVERSAL PENSIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8197, 25 May 1906, Page 4

MANAWATU EVENING STANDARD Circulation, 3.200 Copies Daily. FRIDAY, MAY 25, 1906. UNIVERSAL PENSIONS.

Tmj-: Premier evidently intends to make a determined attempt to put into force his national annuities scheme this session. We notice that he lias forwarded to the Friendly Societies' Conference a letter referring to the bearing that his .scheme will have on the work of these Soeietie*. The details are all prepared so presumably no tune is to be lost m pushing ou with a measure giving effect to the proposals. Ihe Premier rightly recognises that the ground covered by the annuities scheme will in a measure ovtr-kp the field wherein the Friendly Societies have done the pioneering work. He is, therefore, prepared to make the Societies some concession, and this is as it should be. The full text of Mr Seddon's letter will be found in another part of this issue. Briefly put Friendly Societies will be affected by the scheme in the following ways ;

—In cases were lodges make allow, ances to members over 65, the Government will pay a certain proportion. The lodges will continue Jo make the payments but at the end of every third year, the Government will refund whatever proportion it is decided to pay. This proportion will vary from 10 to 50 per cent, of the weekly allowances, according to the family and other circumstances of the member while drawing sick pay. In the ease of members under i>3 the Government will not rauke a refund in respect of" the weekly allowance to members who draw sick pay during the first twelve I months after the commencement of the ; attack ; but for all oases of .sickness or other iuiimuty, where the incapacitated member is or will be drawing sick pay continuously for more than twelve months, it is proposed to give a refund on another sliding scale, the percentage

increasing at the atse of the member thnnnwhc)t. Be#idiif.-tlt*f*B pottCPMiMrtt Mr B»-ddrm »*« prepared to give a special subsidy to member* of Friimdly &'*>• eieties who apply for an annuity uader the Government -whewe, Half of t his mi biddy is to W -aljtfcfttcd to.-.thc .-sk-lf. fund of lodges where there is aft »<'*«*- ftrki deficiency, *ud the other half ut»~ go to the individual member. As to tlw annuities to tSi<- general public, it if proposed to alkr-r .*«! J person* to take out thme deferred anmiiti#*, and 'tfe# payments made by them will be subsidised by the Treasury to the jtfteiitoffrom !*> to io per «nt. according to the family and circuuisUnaM/rf' the applicant. The Friendly JSoeieties Conference eon*idered the proposals l.vt night. Many will be unprepared for the tone of some of the *peecbe*.: While it ia gratifying to find a ..spirit of sturdy -eif-reltam-e prevailing amongst the societies, the aggressive hostility'of out* or two of the speakers was hardly to he expected. The Premier's proposals, it i« agreed by everyone, are far removed from charity, and it is some* what disconcerting to find a delegate repudiating the scheme on Hie >e..re that ttie lodges osight not to be turued into charitable institutions. Such eriticisui an fh'f ••>;•.'/u- to be h-i»!y and inopportune. It is to be hoped that when the proposals come before the societies they wtil he discussed in the spirit that a measure so vitally affecting them demands. This i« very desirable, because if the scheme in put into effect and it is found that it operates to the disadvantage of the societies, it will then be too late to make outcry.