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MINERS' BENEFITS During the year 29 new grants were made. The number of benefits in force decreased by 33 from 718 as at 31st March, 1947, to 685 as at 31st March, 1948. This include? 81 benefits paid to widows whose husbands died while in receipt of miner's benefit. The expenditure for the year increased by £4,690 from £105,416 for the year ended 31st March, 1947, to £110,106 for the year ended 31st March, 1948. The increase in the rate of benefit from Ist October, 1947, is responsible for the increased expenditure, notwithstanding a decrease in the number of benefits in force. The Social Security Act provides that on the death of any person in receipt of a miner's benefit there shall be payable an amount fixed by the Commission to cover reasonable expenses of the funeral. During the year the sum of £442 Avas expended on funeral grants in respect of 26 miners' beneficiaries. MAORI WAR BENEFITS As at 31st March, 1948, there was only one person receiving this benefit of £ll7 a year. RECIPROCAL AGE AND INVALIDS' BENEFITS Under the Age and Invalids' Benefits (Reciprocity with Australia) Act, 1943, the Social Security Commission has power to grant age and invalids' benefits to persons living in the Dominion not eligible for benefits under the Social Security Act, 1938, but who immediately before taking up residence in New Zealand were resident in Australia. The rate of reciprocal benefit must not exceed the rate payable in the country with the lower maximum benefit. The basic rate of Australian age and invalids' pensions was increased from £B4los. to £97 10s. a year from the 3rd July, 1947. The position regarding applications for reciprocal benefits and benefits in force is shown in the following table

WEEKLY BENEFITS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS The following figures show the number of applications for unemployment benefits dealt with during the years ended 31st March, 1947, and 31st March, 1948, respectively:—

As at 31st March, 1948, there were 36 persons in receipt of unemployment- benefit, as-against 35 as at 31st March, 1947. The total expenditure for the year amounted to £8,358, as against £24,332 for the previous year, a decrease of £15,974.

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1946-47. 3947-48. Age. Invalids. Total. Age. Invalids. Total. Applications received and those outstanding 15830 188 172 22 194 at the beginning of the year Applications granted 94 15 109 134 15 149 Applications rejected 31 10 41 15 4 19 Applications outstanding as at 31st March 33 5 38 23 3 26 Benefits in force at 31st March .. 158 53 1 211 216 55 271

1946-47. 1947-48. Males. 1 | Females. Totals. Males. Females. j Totals. Persons granted benefit Number of applications declined Number of persons whose applications were declined, but who were granted emergency benefits on grounds of hardship 790 503 313 51 840 503 841 1,343 816 368 296 411 12 851 792 380 1,147 1,203 Totals 1,600 ! 1,394 ! 3,000 | 1,075 ' 1,655 ! 2,730