H.—lB

4

WIDOWS' PENSIONS continued Year 1918-19. New claims lodged ' .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 1 ,597 New claims rejected .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 142 Annual liability at close of year (statutory pension) .. .. .. .. .. £65,860 Annual liability at close of year (including allowance under Finance Act, 1917 . . .. £112.618 Average pension (statutory) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £20 Average pension (total) .. . . .. . . . . . . ,". . . £35 Cross expenditure for year (statutory pension) .. .. .. .. .. £44,715 Gross expenditure for year (including allowance under Finance Act, 1917) . . .. £80,773 Increase on figures of previous year .. .. .. .. .. .. £22,821 Cost per head of Furopean population . . .. ■ . . . . .. .. Is. sd. Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. .-. .. .. .. .. £102 Absolutely forfeited instalments .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £406 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid .. .. .. .. .. £739 Average of total family of pensioners .. . . . . .. .. .. 3-4 Average of family under fourteen .. .. .. . . .. . . .. 2-4 Total claims lodged to date .. .. .. .. .. 6,059 Total claims established .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,050 Total number of children benefited .. .. .. .. 12,480 Total deaths .. . . .. .. .. . . .. 73 Total guardians appointed .. .. .. .. .. 44 Total cancellations .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,810 Grand total paid to date .. .. .. .. .. .. £295,871 Total Number of Children on whose Account Pension granted. Number of Children Pensioners, under Fourteen. 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. .. 791 1,923 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. 657 1,604 1913-14 .. .. .. .. .. .. 421 1,090 1914-15 .. .. .. .. .. .. 458 1,158 1915-16 .. .. .. .. .. .. 444 1,180 1916-17 .. .. .. .. .. .. 421 1,075 1917-18 .. .. .. .. .. ..509 1,198 1918-19 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,349 3,252 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 5,050 12,480 Note. —The influenza epidemic which ravaged the Dominion towards the end of the calendar year is responsible for a greatly increased expenditure in widows' pensions. During the last four months of the financial year the number of claims lodged and pensions granted totalled 1,046 and 963 respectively, the numbers for the corresponding period of the previous year being 200 and 185. MILITARY PENSIONS. Furopean. Maori. Total. Pensions in force at 31st March, 1918 .. ..875 278 1,153 Deaths during 1918-19 .. .. .. .. .. 90 35 125 New pensions granted, 1918-19 .. .. .. 2 10 12 Net decrease .. .. .. .. .... .. 113 Pensions in force at 31st March, 1919 .. .. .. ..787 253 1,040 Year 1918-19. New claims lodged .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 Number of pensioners previously in receipt of old-age pensions .. .. .. .. 249 Number of pensioners not in receipt of war bonus .. .. . . .. .. 242 Annual ttability at close 'of year (statutory pension) .. .. .. .. .. £37,440 Annual liability at close of year (including allowance under Finance Act, 1917) . . .. £47,814 Average pension (statutory) .. . . . . .. . . .. .. £36 Average pension (total) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £45 Gross expenditure for year (statutory pension) .. .. .. .. .. £39,455 Cross expenditure for year (including allowance under Finance Act, 1917) .. .. £50,488 Cost per head of Furopean population .. .. .. .. .. .. lid. Decrease on figures of previous year . . .. . . . . . . .. £246 Pensioners in homes and hospitals . . . . .. . . .. . . .. 41. Amount paid to controlling authorities of these .. .. .. .. .. £2,358 Absolutely forfeited instalments .. .. .. .. . . . . . . £320 Installments forfeited and subsequently paid . . .. . . . . .. .. £94 Total claims lodged to date .. .. .. .. .. 1,868 Total claims established .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,686 Total deaths .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 644 Total cancellations . . .. .. . . . . .. 2 Grand total paid to date .. .. .. .. .. .. £275,913