PENSIONS BILL

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 179, 24 April 1919, Page 6

PENSIONS BILL

OVER TWO MILLIONS A YEAR

A DETAILED STATEMENT '

Tho. Hon. Arthur Myers, Minister of Pension , , gave 'to a reporter the following interesting returns for the past financial j ear in connection with the fivo classes of pensions' administered by the Pensions Department:— PAYMENTS, 1918-19. Statu- Allowance' tory under Total Pen- Finance Peu- .'-. sions. Act, 1917. sions. £. £ £ Old-ago pen-." ' eions ...... 482,458 250,605 7-13.0G3 , Widows' ..,:•" 41,715 36,058 80,773 :Maori,War 39,1.55 11,033 50.158 Miners' '...... 10,721 2,555 13,276 War 1,173,607 - 1,173,007 .£1,750,956 £310,251" £2,061,207 Tho above figures'represent the actual payments made in New Zealand. The total relating to , war pensions, does not include payments made in ,Grcat Britain, Australia, and elsewhere overseas,. the ■returns for which are not yet , complete COMPARATIVE TABLE OF PAYMENTS.. Gross Pensions. 1913 14. . ' 1917-18. 1918-19. 116,770 643,177 ■ 743,063 27,077 57,952 80,773 29,447 50,734 50,488 nil 13,275 13,276 nil 515,445 1,173,607 ~ .£473,300 ,£1,280,583 .£2,061,207 The total new pensions granted, with deaths, cancellations, nnd the ne£ in- •: crease or decrease during tho year 1918j 19 are as follow: ' ; -. New Oancel- : peneionß. Deathß. latione. Inc. Dec. • : Old-age ... 2,229 2,013 310 - 94 i ' Widows ... :i,346,' . - 32? 1,019 - [ Maori War 12 124 • - -112i Miners ... 82 42 74 - 34 :■■■ War , 16,954 . 531 \ 3,493- 12,930 - \ Totals'... 20,623 2,710 4,204 - - i "Of course the abnormal increase in the ; .number of widows' pensions is due to the ! epidemic," pointed out the Minister. j-. "The new pensions granted per month I under this head had never averaged more ', .than 50 up to November, 1918, the actual \ '' 'new grants for the succeeding ! tar. !, ■*. 'hionths being: : ' December/ 1918 433 i January, 1919 245 ; February, 1919 158 i March, 1919 124