ll.—lB

1938. NEW ZEALAND.

FORTIETH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSIONS DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1938.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 90 of the Pensions Act, 1926.

The Commissioner of Pensions to the Hon. the Minister of Pensions. Sir,— Pensions Department, Wellington, Ist July, 1938. I have the honour to furnish herewith, for the information of Parliament, the report of the Department relating to war, old-age, widows', Maori War, miners', epidemic, invalidity, and sundry pensions, family allowances, and war veterans' allowances for the year ended 31st March, 1938. The following comparative statement relates to the annual value and gross payments of all pensions administered by the Department for the past two years : —

Pensions in Force: Annual Value and Total Payments.

As at 31st March. 1937. As at 31st March, 1938. Class of Pension. ~ TotoP Number. Annual Value. Payments, Number. Annual Value. Payments, ! 1936-37. 1937-38. ] i £ £ | £ £ War .. .. .. 23,711 1,532,424 1,483,345 ! 24,096 J,579,724 1,597,524 Old-age .. .. .. 54.134 3,068,293 2,413,103 1 59,953 3,373.331 3,235,057 Widows' .. .. .. 4,753 464,879 412,280 | 4,982 476,907 471,287 Maori War .. .. 36 2,106 1,972 27 1,580 1,806 Miners' .. .. .. 1,040 87,838 83,253 1,060 86,537 88,167 Epidemic .. .. .. 3 76 253 .. .. 14 Invalidity.. .. .. 7,491 478,165 284,760 10,633 674,934 632,829 Boer War .. .. .. 57 2,131 2,067 55 1,939 1,991 Sundry pensions and annuities 144 13,161 13,892 142 12,642 12,554 Civil Service Act, 1908 .. 11 3,933 4,106 10 3,500 3,632 Familyallowanc.es .. .. 9,515 125,702 i 1.30,730 6,853 94,168 106,402 War veterans'allowances .. 2,079 151,713 110,667 2,204 159,279 161,267 Totals .. .. 102,974 5,930,421 4,940,428 110,015 6.464,541 6,312,530 Cost per head of European population : 1936-37, £3 5s. 9d. ; 1937-38, £4 3s. 2d.