THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1908. LEGISLATION IN CANADA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 3000, 24 September 1908, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1908. LEGISLATION IN CANADA.

The measures passed during the record session of the Canadian Parliament, which has recently ended, included a number of Bills of considerable interest. The Lands Act, for instance, has been amended in such a way as to throw open to settlement a further area of approximately 28,000,000 acres in the Nerth-VVe t A portion of the money derived from the sale of such lands is to be devoted to the construction of a railway line, 500 miles in length, to Hudson Bay, and the estimates contained an appropriation of 100,000 dollars for surveying the route which the Hudson Bay railway is to follow. One of the most interesting enactments of the session is the Civil Service Reform Bill, which takes the public service ot the country out of politics and places it under the control of two independent commissioners. The latter are to base appointments on the results of competitive examinations, following in this respect the precedent of the Mother Country. The Government has declared for

efficient public control alike of railways, telephones, telegraphs, express companies, and all other public utilitie's. The authority of the Board of Railway Commissoners has been extended ao as to include the control of telephone and telegraph companies. In various parts of the Empire old-age pension schemes have of late been very much to the fore. Canada has adopted a solution of the problem which would no doubt commend itself to many. Instead of granting pensions, the Dominion is to institute State-managed annuities, by means of which the thrifty citizen may make a safe provision for old age. The scheme is simple and practical, and involves no inquisitorial machinery. all that the would-be annuitant has to do is to entrust his savings to the State, and when he reaches 55 he will receive an annuity in proportion to the amount he has accumulated, to which there will have been added by the Government compound interest at the rate of 3 per cent. If he elects to j postpone the receipt of the annuity beyond the age of 55, he will earn a proportionately larger yearly allowance later in life. While 55 is the minimum age, the annuity may be pai3 earlier in cases of disability, the amount, of course, being smallc", and a person of 55 may purchase an annuity immediately payable by putting down a lump sum. In case of death before the age at which the annuity ia payable, all the money paid in will be returned to the representatives of the annuitant, with interest at three per cent., compounded yearly. Thus the scheme will not only encourage thrift and establish a sound investment for savings, but will provide a form of insurance as well.