over fifty-five; "necessity to be a condition precedent to pension." The Report is a large 8vo of 450 pages, and is worth perusal.
§ 786 is particularly interesting, giving a range of examples from (i) "Individuals with no personal income, or personal income not exceeding 10s. per week, weekly pension 7s. 6d."; to (30) "Married couples, having two children, with weekly personal income of 30s., weekly pension 2s. 6d."; and (yet further) to the maximum pension payable to the victims of "unmerited misfortune"—"Married couples, with two children, per week, 26s. 3d."
"It will be seen," says the Report, § 788, "that these proposals offer considerable inducement towards thrift"; how, is not over clear.
"The source from which the pensions are to be provided" is admitted to be "of paramount importance."
A tax on tea is recommended as likely to be sufficient (§ 795).
But, if the Federal Government takes the tea tax, "probably an impost upon flour would be an alternative." (§ 796).
§ 797. "It is quite possible that this suggestion will be made the subject of thoughtless objection, as a tax of any kind on bread is necessarily unpopular, but I submit that there is an immense, and an essential, distinction between a tax on bread for ordinary purposes of Government, and a tax on bread to provide bread for the aged, the helpless, and the indigent."
"Such an objection, too, would be sentimental rather than practical, for wharfage dues upon breadstuffs are universal … while lands occupied with wheat are largely the subject of taxation."
A royalty upon mining profits is further recommended (§ 800), on the ground, apparently, that it would be paid chiefly by London companies.
