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Kōrero: Older people

Old-age pension

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Old-age pension

An old-age pension was first introduced in 1898 – New Zealand was among the first countries in the world to provide one. To be eligible men and women had to be over 60 and earn below a certain income. This 1898 cartoon features Premier Richard John Seddon. The inscription at the bottom of the cartoon reads, 'An old friend with a new face / Santa Claus Seddon to party of sexagenarians: "You've not been forgotton this time, old boys. There's a stocking full like this for every one of you."'

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: PUBL-0126-1898-001

by Ashley Hunter

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Peggy Koopman-Boyden, Older people – Life circumstances, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/cartoon/26694/old-age-pension (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Peggy Koopman-Boyden, i tāngia i te 22 March 2011.