8.—6

XXV

PENSIONS.

The amounts paid for pensions, other than recent war pensions, during the year are as follow :— Statutory Allowance under Total Pensions. Finance Act. Pensions. £ £ £ Old-age pensions .. .. 482,438 260,605 743,043 Widows'pensions .. .. 44,714 36,058 80,772 Military (Maori War) pensions .. 39,477 11,033 50,510 . Miners'pensions .. .. 10,722 2,555 13,277 Totals .. .. £577,351 £310,251 £887,602 The pensions paid show an increase over last year in every class except Maori War pensions, but taking the actual statutory pension, as apart from the war bonus under the Finance Act, 1917, the only increase over last year is in the widows' pensions, and this is due to the recent epidemic. The actual variations are as follow :—■ Decrease. Increase. £ £ Old-age pensions .. .. .. 19,647 - Widows'pensions .. .. .. .. 2,728 Military (Maori War) pensions .. .. 5,363 Miners' pensions .. .. . . 1,246 Against the total payment of £887,602 must be credited £38,234, including £32,647 from national endowments on account of old-age pensions, and £4,425 from gold duty in respect of miners' pensions, leaving a net charge of £849,368 against the State. Under the provisions of the Finance Act, 1917, the bonus granted under that Act to old-age, widows', military, and miners' phthisis pensioners continues till twelve months after the termination of the war, which is a, day to be fixed by Proclamation. It will be seen, therefore, that the payment of the bonus can be continued until late in 1920 without further legislation. It is considered desirable to defer the necessary legislation till it can be considered by a new Parliament next session. Amending and consolidating legislation, therefore, will be introduced next session to deal with the bonus, and to remove various anomalies which from time to time have been pointed out. The annual liability in respect of each class of pension, the total number in force at close of year, and the amount of the average pension are set out hereunder : —■ Number in Force q, i_ l i n __ Allowance . at 31st March, V> • ~ under Finance Total, -r, . * iqiQ Pensions. . Pension. £ &' £ £ Old-age pensions .. .. 19,872 473,574 258,336 731,910 36 Widows'pensions .. .. 3,211 65,860 46,758 112,618 35 Military (Maori War) pensions 1,040 37,440 10,374 47,814 45 Miners'pensions .. .. 240 10,120 2,483 12,603 52 Totals.. .. .. 586,994 317,951 904,945 Except in the case of widows' pensions there has been a decrease during the year by deaths and cancellations as compared with new grants, as shown in the undermentioned table : —■ New Grants. r , ~ ~ Increase. Decrease. Cancellations. Old-age pensions ..2,235 2,323 .. 88 Widows'pensions .. 1,349 330 1,019 Military pensions .. 12 125 .. 113 Miners'pensions ~ 82 112 ~ 30

IV—B. 6,