V.— 9

4

Recoveries. Overpaid pensions refunded and paid to the credit of the Public Account during the year totalled £319 11s. 9d. The total sum overpaid and refunded since the Act came into operation now stands at £6,606 6s. 4d. of Administration. The'cost of administration dining the year was £3,290 2s. 3d., made up as follows : — £ s. d. Salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,702 13 4 Lodging-allowances .. .. .. .. .. .. 72 s 0 0 Non-permanent Postmasters, for paying pensions .. .. .. 293 3 9 Fees for certificates of age .. . . .. .. .. 18 16 6 Interpreters' fees .. .. .. .. .. .. 11 16 6 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 5 3 Miscellaneous.. .. .. .. .. .. .. 147 6 11 3,290 2 3 P< 11; FEITED INSTALM BOTH. The instalments due last year and remaining unpaid on the 31st March amounted to £1,088 3s. 6d. £938 10s. 2d. of this amount represents absolutely forfeited instalments on which there is no further claim, the balance being instalments the payment of which is in abeyance. The absolutely forfeited instalments in each month are, — laflQ Absolutely Forfeited lyuy ' Instalments. 1 s. d. April .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 129 1 8 May .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 116 18 4 June .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 79 5 0 July .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 66 13 4 August .. .. .. .. .. .. 88 8 4 September .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 105 11 8 October .. .. .. .. .. .. 57 4 8 November .. .. .. .. .. .. 84 7 11 December .. .. .. .. .. .. 64 8 4 1910. January .. .. .. .. .. .. 74 0 11 February .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 16 10 March .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 31 13 2 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £938 10 2 Homes and Hospitals. The amount paid to the controlling bodies of the various homes and hospitals in New Zealand during the past year totalled £19,949 Bs. 10d., the number of pensioners being maintained therein on the 31st March being 793. Full details in regard to these payments, which do not carry a Government subsidy, are set out in the appendix (Table 9). The decrease in the annual expenditure on outdoor relief since the Old-age Pensions Act came into force in 1898 is indicated by the following table :— Annual Cost Cost per European of Head oi Year ended Population. Outdoor Relief. Population. £ s. d. 31st March, 1899 ... ... ... 746,676 50,850 1 4J 1900 ... ... ... 758,617 41,790 1 l| 1901 ... ... ... 772,719 42,181 1 1 1902 ... ... ... 789,994 38,934 0 llf 1903 ... ... ... 814,842 43,421 1 Of 1904 ... ... ... 838,954 42,618 1 o| 1905 864,971 40,799 0 11J 1906 ... ... ... 889,968 39,547 0 10£ 1907 ... ... ... 913,873 38,305 0 10 " 1908 ... ... ... 937,587 33,998 0 8f 1909 ... 968,313 37,537 0 9£ 1910 ... ... ... 987,480 Not yet available. D. Robertson, Commissioner.