H.—lB

Economic Pensions payable at 31st March, 1926.

Medical treatment ol war pensioners during 1925-26 cost £93,589. Railway concessions to war pensioners with disabilities in excess of 50 per cent, cost £2,280 during the year. The loading paid on life-insurance policies of war pensioners due to war service disability amounted to £250 for the year. Temporary war pensions to soldiers decreased by 1,077, while permanent pensions to soldiers were increased by 611 during the year. The 369 deaths among war pensioners are made up as follows : Soldiers, 131 ; widows of soldiers, 4 ; other dependants, 234. OLD-AGE PENSIONS. Pensions in force, including 1,416 Maoris, at the 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. 22,905 European population at the 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. .. .. 1,354,292 European pensioners, sixty-five and over, at the 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. 18,643 Female European pensioners, sixty to sixty-four, at the 31st March, 1926 .. .. 2,846 Percentage of European pensioners to total European population at the 31st March, 1926 1-59 Annual liability at the 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. .. .. .. £981,886 Average pension at the 31st March, 1926.. .. .. .. .. .. £42 17s. Unpaid instalments at the 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. .. .. £5,489 New claims lodged .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,827 New claims rejected .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 780 Gross expenditure for year .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £903,577 Increase on figures of previous year .. .. .. . . .. .. £96,624 Cost per head of European population .. . . . . .. .. . . 13s. 4d. Credit from national endowment .. . . . . .. .. .. £37,505 Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. . . .. ... .. £2,396 Number of pensioners in homes and hospitals .. . . . . .. . . 1,091 Amount paid to controlling authorities of these .. .. .. .. £45,088 Number of pensioners in mental hospitals .. .. .. .. .. 103 Amount paid to Mental Hospitals Department on account of these .. .. £3,751 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid .. .. .. .. .. £4,300 Total claims lodged to date .. .. .. .. .. .. 89,210 Grand total paid since 1898 .. .. .. .. .. .. £12,637,410 Total credit from national endowment .. . . .. . . .. £466,464 WIDOWS' PENSIONS. Pensions in force, including 211 Maoris, at the 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. 3,833 Total children in receipt of pension at the 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. 8,664 Unpaid instalments as at 31st March, 1926 .. .. .. .. .. £1,997 New claims lodged .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 800 New claims rejected .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 136 Number of children on whose account pensions granted .. .. .. .. 1,588 Annual liability at close of year.. .. . . .. .. .. .. £301,021 Average pension .. . . .. . . .. .. . . .. £78 lis. Gross expenditure for year . . . . . . .. .. .. .. £286,450 Increase on figures of previous year .. .. .. .. .. .. £50,072 Cost per head of European population .. .. .. .. .. ~ 4s. 3d. Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. .. .. .. .. £594 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid .. .. .. .. .. £2,032 Average of total family of pensioners .. .. .. .. .. .. 4-16 Average of family under fifteen years .. .. .. .. .. .. 2-32 Total claims lodged to date .. ~ .. .. .. .. 11,399 Total number of children benefited .. .. .. .. .. 23,709 Total guardians appointed .. .. .. .. .. .. 143 Grand total paid to date .. .. .. .. .. .. £1,720,150

5

Average Class. Number. Annual Value. | Annual Grant. £ £ Soldiers witt permanent pensions .. .. .. 270 18,511 68 Soldiers with temporary pensions .. .. .. 811 55,688 68 Widows with children .. .. .. .. 114 3,327 29 Widows without children .. .. .. .. 25 810 32 Widowed mothers .. .. .. .. .. 179 5,192 29 Totals .. .. .. .. 1,399 83,528 59