WAR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 271, 5 August 1918, Page 4

WAR PENSIONS

A GROWING LIABILITY. "■ During the month of July tho War Pensions Department recorded 1208 claims, consisting of ,898 from discharged soldiers aM 310 from' dependants of soldiers, making a total number of claims lodged since the" Act came into operation of 24,885. That number consists of 16,608 from soldiers and 8277 from dependants. Now Pensions granted for July total .£83,940, made up as follows:—Two permanent pensions to soldiers, annual value, JBlllj average, X 55. Temporary pensions to soldiers, 854; annual valuo' ■£64,935; average pension, Pensions to dependants, 110; annual value, .£5124; average pension, .£46. Pensions to widows, 60; annual value, .£7041 j average pension,' ,£ll7. This, of course, includes pensions to children. Pensions to other dependants (other than widows), - 218; annual value, .£6729; average pension, .£3O. Total: 1244 pensions; annual value, ,£83,910. Tho totnl amount of the new pensions granted for the four months of the current financial year was .£320,031. The sums for the four months were:—April, .£85,432; May, .011,435; June, .£92,224! Julv, .£83,910. This amount, added to the .£904,000 actually being paid on March 31, makes a grand total of over £1,200,000. . Tho sum to come off that by way of cancellations, is, in round figures, about X 70.000. This leaves the net annual liability for . war pensions on July-31 at approximately,