Mr. A. LAWasked the Minister of Health if he will state under what authority he has acted in reducing the old age pension of inmates at Townley hospital from 10s. to 1s. weekly?
Mr. CHAMBERLAINUnder Section 2 (1) (d) of the Old Age Pensions Act, 1911, the value of any benefit or privilege enjoyed by a person must be taken into account in calculating the person's means for old age pension purposes. I am advised that the cost of maintenance in an institution must be regarded as means for this purpose. My decision on certain cases relating to inmates of Townley Hospital which were submitted to me on appeal was based on the ascertained average cost of maintenance in the institution, which, after allowing for the deductions authorised under the Old Age Pensions Act, 1924, resulted in a pension rate of 1s. a week.
700Wor to attend training and educational classes. During the period in question the proportion was about 1 in 12. As regards the third part of the question, apart from the training and educational classes, the work generally consists of work on the land, work about the institutions and wood sawing, chopping and bundling.