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1944 NEW ZEALAND

SOCIAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT REPORT FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED 31st MARCH, 1944

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly -pursuant to the Provisions of the Social Security Act, 1938

In so far as the Social Security Legislation is concerned, this report deals with Part II of the Act only. Reports on the operation of Part 111 and Part IV of the Act will be submitted by the Health and Land and Income Tax Departments respectively.

REPORT To the Hon. the Minister of Social Security. Sir, — Social Security Department, Wellington, 31st May, 1944. I have the honour to submit for the information of Parliament the fifth annual report of the Social Security Department, for the period Ist April, 1943, to 31st March, 1944. NEW LEGISLATION The following legislation became operative during the year :— (a) The Social Security and Pensions Emergency Regulations, Amendment No. 2, incorporated as part of the substantive benefit the former bonus of 2s. a week in respect of each child of the recipient of family benefit. The maximum benefit in respect of each child therefore became 6s. a week. This provision was later withdrawn in favour of increased benefits under the Social Security Amendment Act, 1943 : (b) The Social Security Amendment Act, 1943, became operative from Ist July, 1943, and made provision for increased benefits under the principal Act. The provisions of the Social Security and Pensions Emergency Regulations 1942, Amendment No. 1, authorizing the payment of additional age-benefits to the parents of deceased servicemen were widened and included as part of the Amendment Act. A similar provision was also made in respect of the parents of deceased members of the New Zealand Mercantile Marine. The provisions of the Social Security Act, 1939, in their relation to deserted wives were considerably broadened, and the Social Security Commission now has power to pay benefits to any woman with a dependent child or children who has taken action to obtain an order under the Destitute Persons Act, 1910. Any maintenance paid under such maintenance order is required to be credited to the Social Security Fund as an offset against any benefits paid : (c) The War Injuries to Civilians Emergency Regulations 1942, Amendment No. 1, increased the basic rates of pensions in respect of qualified persons and brought them into line with the new rates of pension payable under the war-pensions legislation. BENEFITS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS The following figures show the number of applications for unemployment benefits dealt with during the years ended 31st March, 1943, and 31st March, 1944, respectively, and illustrate a further noticeable decline in unemployment in the Dominion

SICKNESS BENEFITS The following figures show the number of applications for sickness benefits dealt with during the years ended 31st March, 1943, and 31st March, 1944, respectively :—

1042-43. 1043-44. Males. Females. Totals. Males. Females. Totals. Persons granted benefit .. .. .. 2,052 317 2,369 1,524 177 1,701 Number of applications declined .. .. 558 I 586 1,144 325 597 '922 Number of persons whose applications were 186 351 537 158 ! 504 662 declined, but who were granted emergency benefits on grounds of hardship ! ' Totals 2,796 ! 1,254 4,050 I 2,007 j 1,278 3,285

1 "42-43. 1043-44. Mules. Females. Totals. Males. Females. Totals. Persons granted benefit .. .. ..18,936 7,807 ! 26,743 ] 18,350 7,942 26,292 Number of applications declined .. .. 1,798 805 2,603! 1,591 757 2,348 Number of persons whose applications were 136 278 ; 414 126 346 '472 declined, but who were granted emergency benefits on grounds of hardship Totals ■■ ■■ 20,870 i 8,890 29,768 20,067 9,045 I 29,112