H.—lB.

Economic Pensions payable at 31st March, 1936.

War Pension Appeals. Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1935 .. .. .. 325 Appeals lodged during 1935-36 .. .. .. .. 1,088 1,413 Appeals dismissed during 1935-36 .. .. .. .. 520 Appeals upheld during 1935-36 . . .. .. .. 540 Appeals withdrawn and struck out, 1935-36 .. .. 25 1,085 Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1936 .. .. .. 328 Percentage upheld, 48-9. The total number of appeals dealt with to the 31st March, 1936, was 7,499, the percentage upheld being 48 per cent. Of the 1,085 cases dealt with during the past year, 610 were heard at Auckland, 57 per cent, being upheld ; 127 at Wellington, 41-7 per cent, being upheld ; 244 at Christohurch, 35-6 per cent, being upheld ; and 104 at Dunedin, 50 per cent, being upheld.

Medical treatment of war pensioners during 1935-36 cost £70,995. Railway concessions to war pensioners on maximum permanent disablement pension and those with locomotive disabilities on permanent pension in excess of 50 per cent, cost £1,596 during the year. The loading paid on life-insurance policies of war pensioners due to war-service disability amounted to £171 for the year. Temporary war pensions to soldiers increased by 388 and permanent pensions to soldiers increased by 315 during the year. The 451 deaths among war pensioners are made up as follows : Soldiers, 168 ; widows of soldiers, 17 ; other dependants, 266. War Veterans' Allowances. Since the passing of the War Veterans' Allowances Act in October, 1935, 1,061 cases have been granted, of which 1,043, with an annual value of £58,358, were in force as at 31st March, 1936. These comprised 539 single and 504 married veterans, with 874 dependent children. War Veterans' Allowances Appeals. Appeals lodged during 1935-36 .. f . .. .. .. 51 Appeals dismissed during 1935-36.. .. .. .. 7 Appeals upheld during 1935-36 .. .. .. .. .. 7 Appeals withdrawn and struck out during 1935-36 .. .. 1 - 15 Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1936 .. .. .. 36 Percentage upheld, 46-6. Family Allowances. The claims lodged during the year totalled 1,988, which, with the 282 outstanding from the previous year, made a total of 2,270 to be dealt with. Of these, 1,730 were accepted and 315 rejected. Of the rejected claims 117 represent cases where the income of the family was in excess of the limit allowed. Four hundred and sixty-nine new claims from Maoris were finally dealt with during the year, 324 being granted and 145 rejected. The total children of the 11,691 allowances in force as at 31st March, 1936, and those in excess of two in a family numbered 51,788 and 28,406, the average per family being 4-43 and 2-43 respectively. The total amount paid during the year was £149,043, while the total annual value of all allowances in force at the close of the year was £144,856.

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! Average Class. Number. Annual Value. Annual Grant. £ £ Soldiers with permanent pensions .. .. .. 1,633 90,696 56 Soldiers with temporary pensions .. .. .. 1,467 82,051 56 Widows with children .. .. .. .. 60 1,581 26 Widows without children .. .. .. .. 255 8,483 33 Widowed mothers .. .. .. .. .. 186 7,073 38 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 3,601 189,884 53