H.—lB.

War Pensions payable outside New Zealand as at 31st March, 1939.

Economic Pensions payable at 31st March, 1939.

War Pension Appeals. Appeals outstanding on 3Lst March, 1938 . . . . . . .. .170 Appeals lodged during 1938-39 . . . . . . . . .. 657 827 Appeals dismissed during 1938-39 . . .. .. .. 321 Appeals upheld during 1938-39 .. .. .. .. .. 385 Appeals withdrawn and struck out, 1938-39 .. .. ..24 730 Appeals outstanding on 31s March, 1939 .. .. .. 97 Percentage upheld, 52-7. The total number of appeals dealt with to the 31st March, 1939, was 10,075, the percentage upheld being 48-5. Of the 730 cases dealt with during the past year, 414 were heard at Auckland, 60-8 per cent, being upheld : 86 at Wellington, 39-5 per being uphold : 136 at, Ohristchurch, 38-2 per cent, being upheld : and 94 at Dunedin, 50 per cent, being upheld. Medical treatment of war pensioners during 1938-39 cost £68,535. 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 £2,816 during the year. The loading paid on life-insurance policies of war pensioners due to war-service disability amounted to £170 for the year. Temporary war pensions to soldiers decreased by 121 and permanent pensions to soldiers increased by 439 during the year. The 585 deaths among war pensioners are made up as follows : Soldiers, 238 ; widows of soldiers, 13 ; other dependants, 334. War Veterans' Allowances. Since the passing of the War Veterans' Allowances Act in October, 1935, 3,426 cases have been granted, of which 2,223, with an annual value of £159,031, were in force as at 31st March, 1939. These comprised 917 single veterans, 1,245 married veterans, 60 widows, and I grant on account of an orphaned child. The total dependent children in receipt of allowances as at 31st March, 1939, numbered 1,833.

'A

Wives and Soldiers. Parents of Dependants. Soldiers. ____ Annual Liability. Permanent. Temporary. Temporary. Widows. , Great Britain.. .. 309 56 46 140 307 50,411 Australia .. .. 372 125 68 74 91 46,128 Other countries .. 59 14 10 9 21 5,861 Totals .J 740 195 124 223 419 102,400

Averago Class. Number. Annual Value. Annual Grant. _____ I £ £ Soldiers with permanent pensions .. .. .. 2,328 143,129 61 Soldiers with temporary pensions .. .. .. 1,500 94,18J 63 Widows with children .. .. .. .. 120 3,720 31 Widows without children .. .. .. .. 442 17,095 39 Widowed mothers .. .. .. .. .. 120 5,457 45 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 4,510 263,582 58