PENSIONS DEPARTMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1917, Page 5

PENSIONS DEPARTMENT.

1 «g»" . ANNUAL REPORT, .T^'f';• The annual report of the Pensions Department gives the following information regarding the number and annual value of the pensions in force on March 31, 1017: Number. Value. :: ' " ; •: £ Old age ...-.- ■.. 10,<J07 • 480,55!) Widows 2,0241 30,386 Military (Maori War) 1,232 44,352 Miners ....;.. 23S 9,984 'War ..'..it,.!.. .j 5,109 257,771 Totals j...-...., 28,360 832,052 !Th cost per head of population 1 for lWfi--1" was 13s Bd, as against Ms lid for l!)15-lti. A summary relating to war pensions shows that pensions (permanent and upwards of 12 months) were granted to 1003 soldiers and 2075 dependants; temporary pensions were granted to 3194 soldiers and 258 do, hints; 087 claims were declined, and 237 remained on hand on March 31. The gross annual value of the &530 pensions granted is .£342,195, giving an average pension of £52. Including the 1018 children, the average of the grand total of 7548 pensions granted to March 31, IM7, is £43 per annum. The total number of oldage pensions claims lodged 'to date is (iU,(J3I; total claims established, 47,392; total deaths, 21,732; total cancellations, 5!J(>3; grand total paid since 1898, £5,S00;5S0; total credit from National Endowment, £172,373. During the year the staff of the Pensions Department increased in number from 40 to 00, and the cost .of administration increased from £i>Bß3 in 1915-M to £15,300 in 101G-I'7.