WAR PENSIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1916, Page 7

WAR PENSIONS.

MOUNTING UP. NOW TOTAL £211,170. The War Pensions Board, sitting in Wellington, dealt last week with 157 cases —93 new claims, 44 claims for the renewal of temporary Allowances, 17 annual reviews, and 3 special cases. Thirtyfour of the new claim were from soliders, nine of whom were granted pensions, while five claims were declined and two adjourned. T'n.o remaining 59 new applications were from dependents, 47 of whom were given pensions and four temporary allowances, while seven applications were declined, and one was adjourned. Of the 44 applications for renewal,' in 27 cases the allowances were continued for a further period (in eight cases the extension to be final)* 10 allowances were at once determined, four were converted into pensions, and three cases were adjourned for further information. All the pensions that came up for review were continued at the same amount. Of the three special cases, one was that of a soldier, whose pension was increased irom 10s to 20s a week; the pension of another was raised from £26 to £39 per annum; and a wife's pension was increased, from £65 to £67 per annum.

Of the 47 pensions granted, 20 were given to soldiers' widows. ■ This is evidently one of the results of the great offensive on the Western front. The twenty recipients comprised the wives of 12 privates, one corporal, one sergeant, two lieutenants, two captains, and two majors; and they had between them 34 children.

The Dominion's liability in respect of war pensions increased last week by £4'520.

In all, 795 soldiers have now been granted pensions, and 2218 temporary allowances; 303 soldiers' applications have been declined, 17 have been adjourned, and IS are still on hand; total 3353. The dependents who had applied for pensions now number 1437, and of these 1144 have -been granted pensions and 130 temporary allowances, while 124 applications iave been declined, 11 have been adjourned, and 28 are still on hand.

The animal value of the pensions are as under:—793 soldiers, £42,902 per annum, average £53; wives and widows, 254 (with 390 children), £25,019 per annum, average £9B; other dependents, S9O, £28,23S per annum, average £29; allowances, 2315, £117,011 per annum, average £l9.' Grand total: 4287 pensions; total annual value, ' £311,170; average, £49.