3

H.—lB

Number of pensions at 31st October, 1907 .. .. .. 13,479 Add new grants during November, 1907 .. .. 146 Deduct deaths during November .. .. .. 101 ~ cancellations during November .. .. 13 114 32 increase. Number of pensions at 30th November, 1907 .. .. .. 13,511 Add new grants during December, 1907 .. .. 131 Deduct deaths during December .. .. ... 11 „ cancellations during December .. .. 21 — 98 I 33 increase. Number of pensions at 31st December, 1907 .. .. .. 13,544 Add new grants during January, 1908 .. .. 123 Deduct deaths during January .... 85 „ cancellations during January .. .. 21 — 106 17 increase. Number of pensions at 31st January, 1908 .. .. .. 13,561 Add new grants during February, 1908 .. .. 132 Deduct deaths during February .. .. .. 82 „ cancellations during February .. .. 16 . . —■ 98 34 increase. Number of pensions at 29th February, 1908 .. .. .. 13,595 Add new grants during March, 1908 .. .. 156 Deduct deaths during March .. .. .. 135 „ cancellations during March .. .. 47 . 182 26 decrease.* Number of pensions at 31st March, 1908 .. .. .. 13,569 Total increase for year, 312. New Claims. The number of new claims lodged throughout the Dominion during the year was 2,327, being 250 less than in the previous year, and 700 less than in the year 1905-6. These with 666 claims on hand at the beginning of the year awaiting investigation made a total of 2,993 dealt with. The manner in which they were disposed of is as follows : — Pensions granted .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,740 Rejected, withdrawn, &c. .. .. .. .. .. . . 613 Outstanding at end of year .. .. .. .. .. .. 640 2,993 The percentage of new pensioners to the people who became eligible by age and residence in each of the past three years is as follows : — People who became „ Year ended 31st March. eligible by Age D . ew Percentage. and Residence. Pensioners. 1906 ... ... ... ... 5,900 2,073 35 1907 ... ... ... ... 3,762 2,030 54 1908 ... ... ... ... 3,623 1,740 48 The new pensions for the year include 80 granted to Maoris. 1,556, or 89 per cent, of the total of 1,740, were of British extraction, 1,499 being born in the British Isles. 538 were of the minimum age of 65, while 48 were 80 years of age and over. The total number of claims lodged since the Act came into force amounts to 33,598. Of this number pensions have been established in 25,617 cases, 52 per cent, of which still remain on the roll. The following table shows the number of claims lodged and those rejected since the inauguration of the new system of investigation early in the year 1903 : — Year. Claims received. Claims rejected. 1903-4 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,544 311 1904-5 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,683 323 1905-6 .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,027 590 1906-7 .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,577 774 1907-8 .. .. .. .. 2,327 613 11,158 ' 2,611