OLD AGE PENSIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 141, 5 June 1908, Page 2

OLD AGE PENSIONS.

THE FEDERAL SCHEME. lleceived 4th, M.21 p.m. Melbourne, June 4. The Federal House of Representatives passed the Old Age Pension Bill. The clauses providing that for five years prior to receiving the pension applicants must have led a temperate and reputable life, and that the terms of imprisonment for criminal offences be deducted in the counting of the period of residence, were struck out.

The Bill provides that every person who has attained tho age of (15 years, and those who, being incapacitated from work, have attained the age of 00, and women of CO shall receive a pension. Provision is also made for pensions for invalids to come into operation by subsequent proclamation, under which every person above the age of 1G years, -who is permanently incapacitated, shall receive a ponsion. The amount of the pension is fixed at .£'26 per annum. It is understood that the annual cost of the schemo will be £1,(100,000. A Melbourne cablegram of May 28 intimated that a caucus of the Labor party had agreed to pass the Surplus Revenue Bill (giving tho Federal Go» vermnent power to appropriate and retain certain unexpended balances, which now go automatically to the States) on condition that an Old Age Pensions Bill was brought in by the Federal Government. It was also hinted that the Labor party would not oppose Mr Deakin's naval defence vote. In effect, the idea Mas conveyed that the Labor party would permit the passage of measures giving the Deakin Government increas- ' ed financial powers us regards the unexpended balances, an ,i initiating the naval defence scheme, in return for—old age pensions. ••.•:.