H.—9

EMERGENCY BENEFITS Under the provisions of section 58 of the Social Security Act, 1938, the Social Security Commission may, in its discretion, grant a special benefit on grounds of hardship to any person who is not qualified for any other benefit under the Act, but who, by reason of age or of physical or mental disability, or for any other reason, is unable to earn a sufficient livelihood for himself and his dependants. Full and sympathetic use is made of this section, and emergency benefits granted during the year totalled 1,488. OTHER MONETARY BENEFITS Details with regard to other monetary benefits under the Act are included in the table on page 4. FINANCE Statement showing the Receipts and Payments op the Social Security Fund for the Year ended 31st March, 1943 Receipts Payments £ Monetary benefits — £ £ Balance .. .. .. .. .. 3,023,835 Universal superannuation .. .. 603,124 £ Age .. .. .. 7,783,084 Social security registration fees .. 540,921 Widows .. .. .. 866,597 ■Social security charge on wages and other Orphans .. .. .. .. 20, 628 income .. .. .. .. 11,624,046 Family .. .. .. .. 790,719 Penalties, fines, interest, and miscellaneous 48,673 Invalids .. .. .. .. 1,036,373 12,213,640 Miners .. .. .. .. 80,100 Grants from Consolidated Fund, vote " Social Maori War .. .. .. 190 Security" (Social Security Act, 1938, section 105 (c)) 3,800,000 Unemployment .. .. .. 49,639 Sickness .. .. .. .. 362,088 Emergency .. .. .. 118,923 11,711,465 Medical benefits, &c.— Medical benefits .. .. .. 1,016,032 Hospital benefits .. .. .. 1,539,282 Maternity benefits .. .. .. 505,219 Pharmaceutical benefits .. .. 563,247 Supplementary benefits .. .. 97,399 — — 3,721,179 Administration expenses —• Land and Income Tax Department .. 150,000 Health Department .. .. 62,509 Social Security Department.. .. 305,521 518,030 Balance .. .. .. .. .. 3,086,801 £19,037,475 £19,037,475 WAR PENSIONS The general administration of the various enactments providing for pensions and allowances in respect of service in the present and former wars and the carrying-out of decisions of the War Pensions Board and the War Pensions Appeal Board are functions of the Secretary for War Pensions. NEW LEGISLATION The following legislation became operative during the year : — (а) The Social Security and Pensions Emergency Regulations 1942, which made provision for a bonus of 15 per cent, on maximum rates to be paid in respect of all economic pensions from Ist May, 1942. War veterans' allowances were increased by the addition of a bonus of 5 per cent, on the maximum rates : (б) The Social Security and Pensions Emergency Regulations 1942, Amendment No. 1, which enables the War Pensions Board to grant pensions to widows of ex-servicemen in receipt of permanent pensions for total disablement where death is not attributable to military service. The Board may also continue for twenty-eight days after the death of an ex-serviceman any pension or allowance in respect of his disablement granted to any dependant and current at his death. The maximum rates for war veterans' allowances are now £78 a year for the veteran, £52 a year for his wife, and £26 a year for each child, plus a bonus of 5 per cent., but so that the total allowance payable in respect of the veteran, his wife and children does not exceed £234 a year, plus bonus of 5 per cent. The War Pensions Board may now complete the investigation of the claim of any veteran who has died before his application was finalized and may in its discretion authorize a grant on behalf of the widow and/or children.

Dissections of War Pensions current at 31st March, 1943

2

War Pensions Act, 1915. War Pension Extension Act, TotaIs _ Class of Pension. Nnmber Number Anmla , Nu ™ f ber Number Annua , Number Number Annua] Pensioners Children. Value. 8l p®"j a Children. Value. Pensioners Children. Value. £ £ £ Ex-members of forces— Permanent .. .. 12,117 9 838,806 77 .. 8,929 12,194 9 847,735 Temporary .. .. 3,341 .. 255,97] 5,331 1 479,761 8,672 1 735,732 Dependants of disabled ex- 2,782 3,049 209,701 828 776 58,533 3,610 3,825 268,234 members Widows .. .. .. 2,002 526 226,344 1,083 817 148,662 3,085 1,343 375,006 Other dependants of deceased 1,919 71 71,955 347 126 18,755 2,266 197 90,710 members ~ ~ ~ Totals .. .. 22,161 3,655 1,602,777 7,666 1,720 714,640 29,827 5,375 2,317,417