VPRS 2252 Court of Petty Sessions Register of Applications for Victorian Old-age Pension

As part of the Federal Invalid and Old-age Pension Act, 1908, the Federal Government instituted old-age pensions to every man of sixty-five years and over and every woman of sixty years and over provided they met certain conditions from 1st July 1909. Invalid pensions were instituted from 18th November 1910.Victoria was the first State in Australia to provide old-age pension, the Old-age Pensions Act (No. 1706) having been passed in 1900, and the system having come into operation in 1st January 1901.Applicants had to meet certain conditions to be eligible for the pension. The conditions were described in the schedule attached to the Act. Applicants had to meet residency requirements, not have a substantial criminal record, not have deserted their wives or children, qualify under a means test and be aged sixty-five or over.The pension was also to be granted to people of other age in ill-health (permanently disabled or in permanent ill-health having been engaged in hazardous occupations).Regulations published in the Government Gazette, 4 January 1901, described how to apply for a pension. An application form, obtained from a clerk of Petty Sessions or a postmaster, after completion was submitted to a clerk of Petty Sessions. Each application was then reviewed by a Police Magistrate or any two Justices, who sitting as a Court of Petty Sessions (but not an open court), would assess the eligibility of the applicant. If the person were entitled to the pension, then the amount was also specified. Eligible people then received a certificate that entitled them to collect the pension.Information in the register included: registration number, name of applicant, address of applicant, date application received, decision (granted, refused, withdrawn, etc.), date decision made.From 1901 to 1910, the Under-Treasurer was the Registrar of Old-age Pensions. It would appear that from the 1909-1910 when the Federal Invalid and Old-age Pension Act were implemented, state old-age pensions were discontinued.

根据1908年《联邦伤残与老年养老金法案（Federal Invalid and Old-age Pension Act）》，澳大利亚联邦政府自1909年7月1日起，向满足特定条件的65岁及以上男性与60岁及以上女性发放老年养老金；伤残养老金则于1910年11月18日起正式施行。维多利亚州是澳大利亚首个推行老年养老金的州，其于1900年通过《老年养老金法案（第1706号）》，并于1901年1月1日将该制度付诸实施。申请人需满足多项条件方可获得养老金申领资格，相关条件载明于法案所附的附表中，具体包括居住要求、无重大犯罪记录、未遗弃配偶或子女、通过经济状况调查，以及年龄达标（男性65岁及以上、女性60岁及以上）。此外，对于因从事高危职业而永久伤残或长期患病的其他年龄段人群，亦可申领养老金。1901年1月4日刊载于《政府公报（Government Gazette）》的申领细则明确了养老金申请流程：申请人可从治安法院书记员（Clerk of Petty Sessions）或邮政局长处获取申请表，填写完成后提交至治安法院书记员。随后每份申请将由治安法官（Police Magistrate）或任意两名治安法官组成的小额诉讼法庭（Court of Petty Sessions，非公开法庭）进行审核，评估申请人的申领资格。若申请人符合资格，则会同时核定养老金发放金额。符合条件的申请人将获得领取养老金的资格证书。该登记册所载信息包括：登记编号、申请人姓名、申请人住址、申请接收日期、审批结果（获批、驳回、撤回等）、审批作出日期。1901年至1910年间，国库副大臣（Under-Treasurer）兼任老年养老金登记官（Registrar of Old-age Pensions）。据推断，自1909-1910年联邦《伤残与老年养老金法案》正式实施后，各州原有的老年养老金制度即被废止。