9

H.—lB,

Old-age Pensions in United Kingdom. The latest figures available relating to the old-age-pension scheme in operation in the British Isles are for the year ended 31 st March, 1912, from which the following particulars have been extracted :—

The percentage increase of pensions for the three years ended 31st March, 1912, is 45-5 per cent. The percentage of pensioners to eligible population {i.e., 70 and over) in England and Wales is 60 per cent. Taking the present number of pensioners in New Zealand 70 and over, and comparing it with the European population of the same age in 1911, the percentage in New Zealand is 42 per cent. At the actual date of the census in April, 1911, it was 39 per cent. It is interesting to note the effect that the payment of old-age pensions in Great Britain, which began on the Ist January, 1909, has had on outdoor relief in that country. In a memorandum prepared by the Local Government Board as recently as August, 1913, and presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of His Majesty, statistics are quoted relating to both indoor and outdoor relief in England and Wales, and from these it will be found that, whereas we in New Zealand can point to a 40-per-cent. reduction in the cost of outdoor relief over a period of fourteen years, England has in half the time experienced a 95-per-cent. reduction in the number of her aged persons in receipt of such relief. The following figures are extracted from the memorandum in question :— Aged Persons in receipt of Outdoor Relief over 70 Years of Age. England. Wales. Total. 31st March, 1906 .. .. .. 154,578 13,518 168,096 Ist January, 1910 .. .. .. 127,061 11,162 138,223 1911 .. .. .. 84,156 9,021 93,177 1912 .. .. .. 7,945 1,585 9,530 4th January, 1913 .. .. .. 7,352 1,211 8,563 Compared with the figures for 1906, those for 1913 show decreases as follows : England, 147,226, or 95-2 per cent. ; Wales, 12,307, or 91 per cent. ; England and Wales, 159,533, or 94-9 per cent. In none of the English counties was the reduction less than 91 per cent., while in two it exceeded 99 per cent. In Wales the decrease ranged in counties from 87 per cent, to 90 per cent. The change in regard to aged persons in receipt of indoor relief has not been so marked, the figures for 1913 showing a reduction on those of March, 1906, as follows : England, 11,909, or 20 per cent. ; Wales, 262, or 13-7 per cent. ; England and Wales. 12.171. or 19-8 per cent. G. C. Fachk. Commissioner of Pensions.

m APPE NDTX. Table T. Number and annual value of pensions in districts—old-age and widows'. ~ 11. Numbor of pensions in districts—military. „ 111. Pensions at oach rate—old-age, widows' and military. „ IV. Ages of Europoan pensioners—old-age, widows', and military. „ V. Percentage of ponsions granted in each year now in force—old-age. ~ VI. Nationalities of pensioners—old-age and widows'. „ VII. Sex and conjugal condition of pensioners—old-age. „ VIII. Agos at death during 1913-14—old-age. „ IX. Ponsions granted, deaths, and cancellations ; also annual liability and averago ponsion—old-age, widows', and military. ~ X. Pensions in force and payments in oach year—old-age. „ XI. Sizes of familios of ponsionors—widows'. „ XII. Regiments of military pensioners. „ XIII. Amounts paid to homes and hospitals—old-ago and military.

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Claims lodged Total ' »*™»°™ Deaths of durine Year m ' orce at Pensioners ! close of Year. during Year. I Percentage of Pensioners to Total Population. Payments for Year. England iVales Scotland Ireland 119,659 8,595 18,059 40,653 602,441 40,083 94,319 205,317 65,096 4,721 10,662 19,698 1-79 1-66 1-98 4-68 £ 7,452,189 495,827 Not available. >> 'otal United Kingdom.. 186,966 942,160 100,177 2-08