BIG FIGURES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1855, 20 July 1918, Page 3

BIG FIGURES.

OUR WAR PENSIONS. ANNUAL VALUE, £1,304,143. It will no doubt come as a surprise to many people to learn that the annual value of the New Zealand war pensions now amounts to £1,304,143. Up to the 31st June the total number of soldiers’ claims lodged was 15,810, and the total number of claims of dependents of soldiers was 7,907 (not Including children). Of that number, the claims received during Hu; three months of the current year—April, May, and June — were as follow: —April, 1,751: May, 1,481-; and June, 1,189. The new pensions granted in New Zealand during the same three months were as follow: — No. Annual Val. £ April 1297 88,432 May 887 01,435 June ....... 1312 92,224 Total ..... 3496 £242,091 This represents an average of £69 per pension. That sum is made up of: Soldiers’ permanent pensions, 291, £1,789; widows, 110, £13,704; other dependents, 321, £9,804; soldiers’ temporary pensions 2,685, annual value £197,552; temporary pensions of dependents of soldiers, 351, £19,242; total, 3,946, £242,091. Total number of pensions granted since the commencement of the Act, including above claims, 20,613; annual value, £1,364,143.

The total amount paid on account of war pensions last year was £515,383; payments actually 1 made in New Zealand (outside of the amount being paid in Australia and London): April, £82,505; May, £90,162; June (returns incomplete), £90,000. This makes a total of £262,967. It is estimated that the amount will considerably exceed £1,000,000 by the end of the year.

In July for the first week 265 claims were lodged and in the second week 268 claims. A COMPARISON.

In Australia, with a population about five times that of New Zealand, the total annual value of the war pensions (as published in a cable message recently) was £3,658,853. At the rate of our pensions on a population basis New Zealand would he paying £6,500,000. The difference is probably mainly explained by Hie fact .that in New Zealand the schedule pension of a toady disabled soldier is £2 per week, whilst in Australia it is £1 10s a week. The maximum for the widow of a soldier (a private) in New. Zealand is £1 10s a week (that is, without children), and for a widow with children £2 a week. In Australia the maximum is £1 a week.

For the year ending 31s( March last Hie following amounts wore paid out by (he Pensions Department : £ Old-age pensions 643,177 Widows’ pensions 57,952 Alaori War pensions 50,734 Minors’ pensions 13,275 War pensions 515,447 Total £1,280,585 It is estimated that the expenditure under the above heads will exceed £2,000,000. by the end of this vea r.