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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

[introduction]

page 174

The Government of New Zealand has long had the control of many national institutions, and every other year sees it take some new department under its care. The Advances to Settlers Department and the Old Age Pensions scheme are prominent amongst recent developments in this connection. The former, concurrently with the increased liberalisation of the land laws, has had an important effect upon the prosperity of settlers of limited means, and may be said to have thereby increased the progress and welfare of the country. Under the Old Age Pensions Act of 1898, persons of sixty-five years of age, who have resided twenty-five years in the colony, are entitled to a pension of £18 a year, payable in twelve monthly instalments; but for each £1 of income above £34, also for each £15 of accumulated property above £50, £1 is deducted from the amount of the pension. Old age pensions have long been in force in Austria and Denmark, but New Zealand was the first British colony to introduce them; and other colonies are now (1900) following her example. The Government of the United States of America has agreed to institute a Parcels Post system with New Zealand, and with the advent of the twentieth century the International Penny Post comes into force. The various branches of the General Government institutions in Auckland are grouped under this heading.