H—9

With the beneficiary's authority the whole or portion of a family benefit may bediverted to the Commisioner of Taxes for the purpose of meeting the income-tax payments of the beneficiary or her husband. At the 31st March, 1949, 4,737 benefits were wholly or partially being diverted in this manner, as against 5,520 for the previous year. The amount paid to the Commissioner of Taxes for the year was £198,874, compared with £227,535 for the year ended 31st March, 1948. At 31st March, 1949, benefits were being paid in respect of 9,758 children beyond the age of sixteen years to assist in their further education.

Number of Family Benefits According to Size of Families

INVALIDS' BENEFITS Applications were received from 1,581 persons during the year on the grounds of permanent incapacity for work or total blindness. Grants were made in 1,022 cases and 622 applications were declined, mainly because medical evidence did not indicate permanent incapacity, and 9,242 existing benefits were renewed for a further year. The number of benefits in force decreased by 631, from 10,682 as at 31st March, 1948, to 10,051 as at 31st March, 1949. The expenditure for the year decreased by £18,684 from £1,367,300 for the year ended 31st March, 1948, to £1,348,616 for the year ended 31st March, 1949.

The following table, prepared as at 31st January, 1949, indicates tlie nature of the diseases suffered by invalid beneficiaries who are permanently incapacitated for work :

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Number of Children in Family. l. 2. 4. 5. I 6. Number of families, 31st March, 1948 Number of families, 31st March, 1949 101,325 95,681 ■ 68,883 75,178 38,871 41,488 ; n 18,552 19,741 8,048 8,586 3,737 3,975 Number of Children in Family—continued. Total Number of Benefits. i Total Number of Children. 1 . 7. 8. 9. 10 or more. Number of families, 31st March, 1948 Number of families, 31st March, 1949 1,984 2,088 988 1,098 462 531 287 360 243,137 248,726 521,394 548,330

1 Disease Category. | Total. Males. Females. Infectious and Parasitic Diseases — Tuberculosis of the respiratory system .. .. .. .. .. ! 446 370 Other forms of tuberculosis .. .. .. .. .. 81 68 Acute poliomyelitis and sequelae .. .. .. .. .. ! 147 167 Other infectious and parasitic diseases .. .. .. .. 90 54 Neoplasms— 30 19 Malignant neoplasms .. .. .. • .. .. Nonmahgnant neoplasms .. .. .. .. .. • 15 18 Rheumatic Fever, Diseases of the Endocrine Glands and Nutrition and Other General Diseases — Rheumatic fever 25 19 Diabetes mellitus .. .. .. .. .. .. 37 40 Diseases of the thyroid and endocrine glands 42 103 Other nutritional and general diseases 5 19 Diseases of the Blood and Blood-forming Organs 25 26 Chronic Poisoning and Intoxication I