From the date of the institution of the old age pensions (January 13th, 1899) to the present, 1355 applications have been made for it within tho Obristchurch district. This cennprises the county of Selwyn with the boroughs within, it, and that of Lyttelton in cluded. Of this number 1192 certificates for the first year's pension were granted and regu'arly paid. Seventy pensioners have died, and the Stipendiary Magistrates so far have granted 737 renewals for the second year's pension. In ca«e of death during the current month, arrangements have re cen-tlv been, made on the recommendation of Mr L. C. WilHams, District Registrar, that the pension be paid to date of death to the relatives of the deceased for the pur pose of assisting in defraying the cost of the funeral. Originally, if a pensioner died during a month the pension lapsed at the end of the previous month.
It has been di-_ov<?red that the man who fell off .the Dunedin-Chrisfo.-hurea train, near Kaxtigi. on Sunday night, after the send-off to the Fourth. Contingent ai Dunedin, and t_.c man who jumped after him, were firemen on one of ths s;earners. But very little hurt, they retade their way to a settler's house and co-ifped. The train ran from six to eight mi'.es be-fore attention of the officials could be drawn to the affair. Surgeon-Captain Parsons, with five of the Bearer Company on, the train, with a eon-table, went back on a luggage train, and after a long search found the men. The surgeon and his corps had to i*ema?ri at Palmerston till next day. and each of the party lost a day from their'usual employment. * It L s uncertain whether the Railway Department will recog nisa any claim under the circumstances.
