WAR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 258, 19 July 1918, Page 8

WAR PENSIONS

INCREASING COST ANNUAL VALUE NOW £1,364,000. War pensions are being paid by the New Zealand Government now at the rate of M,'Xi,l43 per annum. The claims received up to June .31 comprised 15,810 from soldiers and 7907 from dependants (not including children). Of that num. her 1751 were received in April of this year, 3181 in May, and 1189 in June. Tho now pensions granted in New Zealand during the same three months were as follow:— Annual value. No. £ April 1297 88,132 . May 887 (11,135 June 1312 92,224 Total 349G v£242,091 This represents nn average of JJG9 tier pension. That sum is made up of: Soldiers' permanent pensions, 201, .£178'.); widows, 110, .(313,701; other dependants, 321, JG9SO4; soldiers, temporary pensions, 21185, annual value .£197,552; temporary pensions of dependants of soldiers. 85L .£19,242; total, 3910, i' 242,091. Total number of pensions granted since the commencement of the Act, including above claims, 20,013; annual value, ■£1,36-1,143. The total amount paid on account, of war pensions last year was JE515.3531 - payments actually made in New Zealand (outside of the amount being paid --in Australia and London): April, .682,503; Hay, .1:90,482; June (returns incouiplele), .£90,000. This mate a total of, .£202,987. It is estimated that the amount will considerably exceed .£1,000,000 by the ■end of the year. Tn July for the first week 205 olaims were lodged, and in the second week 208 claims. In Australia, with a population about five times that of New Zealand, the total annual value of the war pensions was stated recently to be .43,058,853. At tho rate of (he New Zealand pensions on a population basis Australia would bo paying .£0,500,000.-The difference is probably mainly explained by the fact that in New Zealand the schedule'pension of. a totally disabled soldier is £2 per week, whilst in, Australia it is £1 10s. a week. The maximum for the widow of a soldier (a private) in New Zealand is iil 10s. a week (that is, without children), and for a widow with children £2 a week. In Australia the maximum is Jil a week. For the year ending March, 31 last iho following amounts were paid out by the Pensions Department:— £ Old-nge pensions 6(3,177 Widows' pensions 57,952 Maori War pensions 50,731 .Miners' pensions 13,275 War pensions 515,447 . I ' Total .£1,280,585 It is estimated that thesexpentlitiire tinder the rlio'vo heads will txciwtt .£2,01)0,00(1 by the end of this year."