WAR PENSIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1716, 24 May 1917, Page 3

WAR PENSIONS.

A BIG LIABILITY. The cost to I lie Dominion of war pensions is steadily mounting up. Last week 111 new pensions were, granted, an animal value of £(i,3liti. I’p to the .'fist Mareh last the total annual value of pensions granted was in round ligures £270,00(1. Erom Ist April to dale 18 soldiers’ pensions have been granted, of an annual value of £7OO, averaging £4l a year. Thirty-two widows (with 45 children) have been granted jiensions of an annual value of £2,785 —average, £B7 a year; and 111 other dependents have been granted jiensions aggregating £3,537 n year — average, £3lO. The temporary soldiers' pensions number £453; annual value, £34,084; average. £75. At the end of las! financial year the average soldiers’ pension was £53; the average is now £75 a year, as against a maximum pension of £OS a year. Eifly-live wives of soldiers with 84 children have been granted pensions since Ist .April. These jiensions aggregate £3,102, or an average of £4B per pension. In all 070 jiensions and allowances have been granted since the beginning of the Jinaueial year, with a total annual value of £44,307; average £OS a year. Including the £270,000 granted last year, the net liability of the State to ’ date is, roughly, £314,000 a year.