Untitled

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2149, 3 August 1907, Page 2

OLD AGE PENSIONS

FIGURES AND COMPARISONS.

REE CENTENARIANS DRAW ING STATE AID.

(Special to Times.) Th. SSffS&ft r/ra’WHSjjt of the Act during the lnist financuU year and also for tho entire P e « oa that the scheme has been in oP era "

The report- shows that tho end of March last there were 13,207 pen sinners on the books ot the Depart ment (inelu.li.iK 660 Maoris), being an increase of 6' ■> • oll l nnr ever 1905 year. The increase in 1906 over IJUo was 812. The- number on the 101 lex ceeds the number at the end ot March, 1902, by 481. The mimher ot pensioners in receipt of the full pin si on of £26 is 10,053, or 80 per cent of the whole. Of the lour chief centres of populaton, Christohuich has the largest liimmher of pensioners, viz., 1525, as against 1342 m Auckland, 1233 in Dunedin, and 622 .n Wellington. The male pensioners exceed tlm females by 1927 There were at the end of the year 75 European pensioners of the ago ol 90 and over, three were centenarians, then ages being 103, 104, and 106, and their respective residences Kusscn, Ashburton, and Otaki. The first and second ol theso_ centenarians were drawing their instalments in person at the post office each month up to the time that the report was prepared. . The number of new claims received during the year was 2577, being 450 less than in the previous year Ot this number 2030 were granted and 774 rejected, abandoned, or rendered void by death, the remaining 665 being not dealt with when the year ilosed. The total payments ior the year 'the first complete year since the ■icnsion was increased to £26) was 1-314,183. It is estimated that 0335,000 will lie necessary to cover "he current year’s expenditure. The total amount paid iii pensions ■into the Act came into force is .1,742,556. The cost per head of the 'opulation has increased from 4s Td n 1899-00 to 6s lOd for the past -ear. The cost of administration :ist year was £5250 (including £llß4 ~.hf to the Post and Telegraph Deiartment foi; services rendered). The mount- paid to homes and hospitals hiring the year was £16,121. The lumber of pensioners resident oil March 31st in such institutions being It. is noted in connection with the operation of the pension scheme that flic annual expenditure on outdoor ■■elief in the colony has decreased From £50,850 in 1899 to £36..032 in 1907.