Chapter VIII
OLD AGE PENSIONS IN PRACTICE
NEW Zealand has made the first practical effort to solve the problem of "Old Age Pensions," and the Act passed last session has become operative. As the principle of this notable law has been admitted in England, and most of its provisions are being adopted in the Bills which are under consideration in other Australian colonies, it deserves lengthy consideration. The preamble may be quoted.
"An Act to provide for Old- Age Pensions.
1st November 1891.
"WHEREAS it is equitable that deserving persons who during the prime of life have helped to bear the public burdens of the colony by payment of taxes, and to open up its resources by their labour and skill, should receive from the colony a pension in their old age:
"Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows: —"
What follows is mainly contained in the 7th clause, that, "subject to the provisions of this Act," every person of the full age of sixty-five years and upwards, being of our own blood and not guilty of any offence "dishonouring him in the public estimation" (a phrase, by the way, we seem to have heard, somewhere, before!), shall be entitled to a pension of £18 a year. The maximum
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