PENSIONS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1926, Page 1

PENSIONS

ANNUAL BILL, £2,489,578. INCREASES IN PROSPECT. WELLINGTON, July 6. According to the annual report of the Pensions Department presented to Parliament to-day, the Dominion’s animal pension bill at March 31st last was £2,516,281, an increase of £128,996 on tho figures at the same date a year earlier. The number of pensions i« force was • 49,264, an increase of 443. The gross payments made in 1925-26 amounted to £2,489,578, an increase of £102,293. The cost per head of European population was £1 16s 9d, an increase of sd. The number and annual value of tlie various classes of pensions current, at tlie ends of the two years are as follows Annual Value. No. £ War. pensions, 1925 . 21,318 1.140,168 War pensions, 1926 . 20,716 1,122,843 Old ago pen., 1925 22,061 850,795 Old age pen., 1926 ... 22,905 981,886 Widows’ peu., 1925 .. 3,598 281,141 Widows’ pen., 1926 . 3.833 301,121 Maori War pen. 1925 519 25,431

Maori War pen. 1926 444 21,756 Miners’ pension, 1925 607 37,934 Miners’ pension, 1926 640 40,462 Epidemic pen., 1925 365 16,226 Epidemic pen., 1926 313 ; 11,802 Blind pension, 1925 . 114 4,485 Blind pension, 1926 . 196 9,396 Boer War pen., 1925 69 2,949 Boer War pen., 1926 60 2,445 Special annuities 1925 102 10,380 Special annuities 1926 102 9,292 Civil Service Act 1908, 1925 67 17,776

Civil Servicie Act 190 S 1926 55 15,278 Totals, 1925 ... 48,821 2,387,285 Totals, 1926 ... 49,264 '2,516,281 During the war the pension system was liberalised by legislation. Tlie maximum old age and blindness pension’was raised from 15s to 17s ,6d per week; the full value of the home instead of a maximum value of £520, was exempted in respect of old '‘age, blindness and widows’ pensions. Tlie pension age of children of old age

pensioners and widows was increased to 15 years; and a number of other concessions was granted. Tlie annual increase, in appropriations arising from these added benefits was estimated to reach £150,000 per annum.

The increase in tlie annual liability as at March 31st last, with several months of the first year still to go, was: Old ago pensions £123,200, widows’ pensions £17,400, blindness pensions £5200, total £145,800. The total estimated cost of the benefits conceded in the Pensions Amendment Acts of 1924 and 1925 was £3d0,000 per annum, and the actual increase recorded has exceeded £290,000 per annum. The cost of administration for 1925-26 was £67,728, or just under 21 per cent of the total payment.

Tho annual war pension liability at March 31st last was £1,122,843; the number of pensioners was 20,716, and of dependent children 3420, the average pension being £54. There were 8104 permanent 'soldier pensioners, receiving an average of £4B each. Of 423 appeals heard in 1925-26, 227 were dismissed, 167 were upheld and 29 withdrawn and struck out.

Economic pensions payable to soldiers’ widows and -widowed mothei's at March 31st last numbered 1399, tlie an-

nual value being £83,528, and the average £59. The medical treatment of war pensioners for the year cost £93,589. Temporary pensions to soldiers increased by £1077. and permanent pensions increased £61.161. Tlie number of soldier pensioners who died was 131.