WAR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 154, 25 March 1919, Page 7

WAR PENSIONS

i THE INCREASING \ TOTAL,

The annual value of Nuw. Zealand's war pension bill is alreaidy J61,668,213, or rather this was the atl.ount payable on February 28' last. Th) 9 number of persons to whom the pennon was payable was 25,842, and the (ilverage value wag .£65. In the.last finaoljiial year the pensions have increased in •tjilu.e by more than three-quarters of a nsillion annually, and the average rate lias increased by £3 per head. But although the annual liability is as stated, Ithe country has not yet felt the full wdight of the load, for the amount paid ouT; in respect of pensions to February 28 yas .£1,041,00\), exclusive of the email amount- paid, to persons onteide of the Doni inion. The amount voted for pensions wasl .£1;5Q0,OOO, but there'will be payments .luring the month of March of about .1j150,000, so that the aotual cost will not (be so very much short of the estimate. ■;