IMPERIAL POLITICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8061, 17 March 1906, Page 2

IMPERIAL POLITICS.

OLD AGE PENSIONS. GOVERNMENT I'LEADS FOI! PATIENCE.

f- London, March 15. il Mr O'Grady's resolution that n measure is urgently needed lo provide old age pensions out of funds from taxation was sympathetically received and carried without division. The ltiglit Hon. H. H. Asquith I (Chancellor of the Exchequer), ia aeoeptmg the principle of the resolution, | pleaded for patience and prudence, j The Government was pledged to a 5 pacilie policy abroad and \rouhl take 1 substantial steps to reduce the army and reduce the shipbuilding programme. He hinted at reductions of other dcbls i and a widened bases of taxation fur ' revenue purposes, making the burden lall with greater justice and equality | on all sections of the community. The Right Hon, J, Burns (President of the Local Government Board) considers it best, simplest, and fairest to give everyone a pension of os a week at tij. perhaps including military, naval, civil, and municipal pensioners. The Government would lake the matti r up when the Poor Law ConimissjoiTVcport was received. The " Standard " emphasises Mr Chamberlain's warning that it would be a delusion lo imagine that disapproval [ of the ordinance by Canada and Aus- 1 traliu implied any support in tampering with the rights and liberties of South i Africa. It also gives a reminder that ' the Government would bo hugely mis- I taken if they imagined they were able lo iuiposo their ideas of moralily on 4 meli-governing peoplu, , 1