THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSIONS DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1932.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1932 Session I-II, H-18

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1932. NEW ZEALAND.

THIRTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSIONS DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1932.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 90 of the Pensions Act, 1926.

The Commissioneb of Pensions to the Hon. the Minister of Pensions. giE, — Pensions Department, Wellington, 31st August, 1932. Ī have the honour to furnish herewith, for the information of Parliament, the report of the Department relating to war, old-age, widows', Maori War, miners', epidemic, blind, and sundry pensions, and family allowances for the year ended 31st March, 1932. The following comparative statement relates to the annual value and gross payments of all pensions administered by the Department for the past two years: —•■

Pensions in Force: Annual Value and Total Payments.

Cost per head of European population : 1930-31, £2 Os. 3d. ; 1931-32, £2 2s. stf.

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As at 31st March, 1931. As at 31st March, 1932. Class of Pension. Total TotaT~ Number. Annual Value. Payments, Number. Annual Value. Payments, 1930-31. 1931-32. £ £ £ £ War.. .. .. .. 21,025 1,236,188 1,245,499 21,041 1,242,480 1,261,778 Old-age .. .. .. 28,995 1,212,673 1,158,788 32,317 1,353.360 1,277,107 Widows' .. .. .. 4,566 336,039 325,998 4,709 345,471 340,162 Maori War .. .. .. 170 8,330 9,102 143 7,007 7,582 Miners' .. .. .. 876 62,575 58,441 991 74,035 69,785 Epidemic .. .. .. 138 6,229 6,322 111 4,998 5,580 Blind .. .. .. 330 16,072 15,796 360 17,179 16,710 Boer War .. .. .. 59 2,552 2,620 56 2,279 2,483 Sundry pensions and annuities.. 114 9,301 10,624 115 9,383 9,388 Civil Service Act, 1908 .. 27 8,389 9,251 23 6,857 7,861 Family allowances .. .. 4,617 69,930 63,608 7,332 101,608 90,100 Totals .. .. 60,917 2,968,278 2,906,049 67,198 3,164,657 3,088,536

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From the figures shown in the preceding tables, a large increase, with a consequential increased cost of expenditure, is revealed in the number of civil pensions in force, notably old-age and miners' pensions and family allowances, and the following figures indicate more clearly what an abnormal increase has taken place during the past two years : —

The underlying cause of this increase is the financial and industrial depression which the Dominion has been experiencing during this period, and a return to normal increases of pensions can only be looked for with the return to prosperous conditions generally. Economic necessity has undoubtedly brought forward many applicants who in-normal times would not have been required to seek aid by way of pension or family allowance. The following figures relate to the war and other pensions paid by the Department during the year on behalf of other Governments :—

Family Allowances. The claims lodged during the year totalled 3,443, which, with the 279 outstanding from the previous year, made a total of 3,722 dealt with. Of these, 3,040 were accepted and 350 rejected. Of the rejected claims 146 represent cases where the income of the family was in excess of the limit allowed. 389 new claims from Maoris were finally dealt with during the year, 260 being granted and 129 rejected. The total children of the 7,332 allowances in force as at 31st March, 1932, and those in excess of two in a family numbered 34,546 and 19,882, the average per family being 4-71 and 2-71 respectively. The total amount paid during the year wa,s £90,100, while the total annual value of all allowances in force at the close of the year was £101,608.

Weekly Rates at which Allowances granted.

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Old-age Widows' Miners' Family Pensions. Pensions. Pensions. Allowances. Average annual increase in number of pensions 612 89 34 * over ten years ended 31st March, 1929 Increase in number of pensions for year ended— 31st March, 1930 .. ".. .. 799 41 19 105 31st March, 1931 .. .. .. 2,086 193 97 749 31st March, 1932 .. .. .. 3,322 143 115 2,715 * Came into force 1st April, 1927.

Government. Class of Pension. SlsOfarch, i™™ 1 Average Payments, 1932 Value. Pension. 1931-32. £ £ s. d. £ Great Britain .. .. War .. .. 1,624 83,716 52 0 0 \ .. Army and civil .... 728 50,664 70 0 0 J 122 ' 161 Australia .. .. .. War .. .. 518 22,597 43 12 6 24,626 India .. .. .. Army and civil .. 71 16,007 225 0 0 20^023 South Africa .. .. War .. .. 2 115 57 8 6 92 • • Civil .. .. 28 3,127 112 0 0 2,706 Crown Colonies .. .. „ .. 26 7,661 295 0 0 8,932 Canada .. .. .. War .. ... 2 360 179 19 7 630 Totals.. .. .. 2,999 184,247 .. 179,170

Weekly Rate. Is. 2s. 3s. 4s. 5s. 6s. 7s. 8s. 10s. 12s. i 14s. 16s. 18s. I - - Number granted 6 1,127 10 946 9 508 .. 264 105 52 7 4 2 i [ I

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Numbers according to Size of Family.

Weekly Incomes of Families.

Cost op Administration. The cost of administration for the year amounted to £61,611, the principal items of expenditure being £31,688 for salaries of officers of the Department, who numbered 160 as at 31st March, 1932 ; £14,961 and £4,847 paid to the Postal Department respectively for payment of pensions and postage and telegrams ; £3,084 for salaries and other expenses of the War Pensions Appeal Board ; and £2,189 for salaries of the War Pensions Board. The percentage of cost of administration to the total payments made of £3,267,706 was 1-89.

WAR PENSIONS. Summary of War Pension Payments.

The amount paid for the year ended 31st March, 1932, shows an increase over the preceding year of £16,279. 6 J

Summary of Annual Liability as at 31st March, 1932.

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Number of Children in excess of two. • 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6. 7- 8. 9. J . Number of families 1,106 959 520 266 108 65 8 5 3

Weekly Income. £1 and under. ° Ve \f™ da V Ovet^^ d Up 0 To Is T 2 s " P Over £3 12 S . Number of families .. 95 727 971 1.206 41

Payments made in — ~ Total. Lonaon. Australia. Canada. New Zealand. £££ ££££ Total payments to 31st 785,531 435,900 24,029 3,403 6,761 17 232 233 18 487 857 March, 1931 Payments in 1931-32 73,260 30,809 2,739 560 j 819 1,153,591 1,261,778 Total payments to 31st 858 791 466,709 ) 26,768 3,963 7,580 18,385,824 19 749 635 March, 1932 |

Class of Pension. Number of Number of Average Pensioners. Children. annual value. p en3 j on . £ £ Soldiers (permanent) .. .. .. 9,504 14 498 387 52 Soldiers (temporary) .. 3,472 36 75 Dependants of disabled soldiers .. .. 1,503 3,184 140,523 93 Widows (without children) .. .. 898 .. 82' 353 92 Widows (with children).. .. .. 496 794 76*440 154 Other dependants of deceased soldiers— ent \ , , 4,577 .. 164.057 36 Uther adult dependants .. .. 109 11 3 705 34 Guardians of children .. .. 482 676 38 Totals, &c 21,041 4,715 1,242,480 59 _ I

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War Pensions payable outside New Zealand as at 31st March, 1932.

Economic Pensions payable at 31st March, 1932.

War Pension Appeals. Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1931 .. .. .. .. 147 Appeals lodged during 1931-32 .. .. .. .. .. 599 746 Appeals dismissed during 1931-32 .. .. .. .. .. 231 Appeals upheld during 1931-32 .. .. .. .. .. 252 Appeals withdrawn and struck out, 1931-32.. .. .. ..34 517 Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1932 .. - .. .... 229 Percentage upheld, 48'7 per cent. The total number of appeals dealt with to the 31st March, 1932, was 4,214, the percentage upheld being 48 per cent. Of the 517 cases dealt with during the past year, 260 were heard at Auckland, 51-9 per cent, being upheld ; 102 at Wellington, 35-3 per cent, being upheld ; 114 at Christclmrch, 54-4 per cent, being upheld ; and 41 at Dunedin, 46-3 per cent, being upheld.

Medical treatment of war pensioners during 1931-32 cost £77,405. Railway concessions to war pensioners on maximum permanent disablement pension and those with locomotive disabilities on permanent pension in excess of 50 per cent, cost £1,760 during the year. The loading paid on life - insurance policies of war pensioners due to war - service disability amounted to £176 for the year. Temporary war pensions to soldiers decreased by 14, and permanent pensions to soldiers increased by -99 -during the-year. The 432 deaths among war pensioners are made up as follows : Soldiers, 153 ; widows of soldiers, 5; other dependants, 274.

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Wipes and Soldiers. Parents of Dependants. Soldiers. — Annual Liability. Permanent. Temporary. Temporary. Widows. , £ Great Britain.. .. 246 100 23 148 542 57,830 Australia .. ..254 198 27 51 169 40,033 Other countries ..55 23 .. 8 31 5,163 Totals ' ... 555 321 50 207 742 103,026

Average Class. Number. Annual Value. Annual Grant. £ £ Soldiers with permanent pensions .. .. .. 938 61,693 66 Soldiers with temporary pensions .. .. .. 1,157 77,957 67 Widows with children .. .. .. .. 97 2,900 30 Widows without children .. .. .. .. 119 4,341 36 Widowed mothers .. .. .. .. .. 179 4,778 27 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 2,490 151,669 61 ' _ [ J

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Disabled Soldiers' Civil Re-establishment Act, 1930. Although this Act to provide for re-establishment of disabled ex-soldiers in civil employment or occupation became law in October, 1930, it was not possible, owing to lack of finance, to put the Act into operation until July, 1931, when local advisory committees representative of the returned soldiers of the Dominion, South African War veterans, War Funds Societies, organizations of employers and of workers, the New Zealand Branch of the British Red Cross and Order of St. John, and the Government, were set up in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. These committees appointed sub-committees in the smaller centres. To act in conjunction with the committees, an employment officer was appointed at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. Up to the present the efforts of the committees and employment officers have been confined to the classification of applicants, to the finding of employment for disabled soldiers and to the providing of vocational training at technical schools. While the procuring of suitable employment for disabled men is difficult during the present economic depression, when there are thousands of able-bodied unemployed available, the committees and employment officers have been able, in addition to procuring work of a casual nature, to obtain positions for sixty-two men. As it is trusted that the corner of the economic depression has been turned, and that trade and industrial conditions will improve from now on, it is hoped that the efforts of the committees and employment officers will slowly but surely meet, with better success, particularly so if it is possible at an early date to place some funds at their disposal to assist in the work of enabling these disabled ex-soldiers to regain their place in civil life.

Statistics in regard to Civil Pensions.

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■ - j - Old-age. Widows'. Maori War. Miners'. Blind. Epidemic. Pensions in force at 31st March, 1931 .. 28,995 4,566 170 / \ 330 138 New pensions granted, 1931-32 .. .. 5,806 798 .. 175 45 Deaths during 1931-32 .. .. .. 2,188 8 27 56 13 Cancellations during 1931-32 .. 296 647 .. 4 2 ' 27 Net increase or decrease .. .. .. +3,322 +143 — 27 +115 +30 —27 Pensions in force at 31st March, 1932 .. 32,317 4,709 143 / Anlt\ 36 0 111 Total children in receipt of pension. 31st .. 9,695 irr March, 1932 '" "" 10 ° Total European pensioners sixtv-five years and 25,716 over at 31st March, 1932 Total female European pensioners sixty years 4,991 to sixty-four years at 31st March, 1932* Percentage of European pensioners to total 2-1 European population Total Maori pensioners .. .. .. 1,572 346 50 39 New claims lodged .. .. .. 7,079 922 .. "236 71 New claims rejected .. .. .. 1,284 113 .. 56 17 Number of children on whose account pension .. 1,829 granted Annual liability at 31st March, 1932 .. £1,353,360 £345,471 £7,007 £74,035 £17,179 £4 998 Average pension per annum .. .. £41 18s. £73 7s. £49 £74 14s. £47 14s ' 'f45 Gross expenditure for year 1931-32 .. £1,277,107 £340,162 £7,582 £69,785 £16,710 £5,580 Increase or decrease on figures of previous +£118,319 +£14,164 —£1,520 +£11,344 +£914 —£742 year Cost per head of European population .. 17s. 7d. 4s. 8d. l-3d. Hid. 2-8d. 0-9d Credit from national endowment .. .. £34,018 Credit from gold duty .. .. .. .. .. ,. £2 832 Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. £2,641 £1,142 £4 ' '£3Q £59 Number of pensioners in homes and hospitals 1,066 .. 10 5 88 Amount paid to controlling authorities of £49,479 £416 £323 £5 059 these Number of pensioners in mental hospitals .. 125 .. .. 2 2 Amount paid to Mental Hospitals Depart- £5,504 .. .. £94 £81 ment on account of these Unpaid instalments as at 31st March, 1932 .. £5,312 £2,449 £20 £220 £46 £37 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid.. £1,707 £578 £4 £49 £26 Average of total family of pensioners .. .. 3-99 Average of family under fifteen years .. .. 2-06 Total claims lodged to date .. .. 120,117 16,710 1,893 632 Total claims established .. .. .. 94,357 14,203 1,698 1,955 469 "972 Total claims rejected .. .. .. 25,099 2,429 195 397 150 Total number of children benefited.. .. .. 34,653 Total deaths .. .. .. .. 50,385 124 1 1,550 751 "81 " 14 Total guardians appointed .. .. .. 293 Total cancellations ... .. .. 11,655 9,370 5 213 "28 "847 Grand total paid to date .. .. .. £19,234,989 £3,629,620 £590,900 £574,258 £92,268 £463 457 Total credit from gold duty .. .. .. .. £51 023 Total amount paid on account funeral expenses .. .. £6 ,'682 Total credit from national endowment .. £695,878 ,. * Miners. f Widows. Total European population at 31st March, 1932, 1,455,167.

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Pensions granted, Deaths, and Cancellations in each Year, with Number in Force.

J. H. Boyes, Commissioner of Pensions.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (640 copies), £8 15s.

By Authority: W. A. G. Skinnbk, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 932.

Price 6i.~\ •

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„ , j Number of I n „ In Force j . „ , , Number of « „ In Force Year ended Pensions Deaths . Cancella- at End of J. 6^ Pensions Deaths. Ca . nceUa " at End of 31st March, granted _ tions. | period 31st March, granted _ faons. period DM nno Maori War. 1913-1920 1,691 ! 750 1 2 939 1899-1900 12,186 824 , 77 11,285 1921 2 130 811 1901-1910 17,848 10,237 3,576 15,320 1922 1 72 740 1911-1920 24,028 16,017 3,338 j 19,993 1923 \ 71 1 669 1921 .. 2,152 1,880 428 19,837 1924 " \ l 80 x 589 1922 .. 2,553 I 1,578 321 20,491 1925 1 71 519 1923 .. 2,781 1,763 328 21,181 1926 74 ' 1 444 1924 .. 2,549 1,870 392 21,468 1927 70 374 1925 .. 2,654! 1,635 425 22,062 J 1928 [';'.[ 66 ' 308 1926 .. 3,100 1,839 418 22,905 j 1929 49 259 1927 .. 3,302 2,049 407 23,751 1930 ' 50 209 1928 .. 3,638 2,093 421 24,875 1931 1 40 270 1929 .. 3,614 1,968 411 26,110 1932 27 143 1930 .. 3,506 2,242 465 26,909 " I " \ 1931 .. 4,640 I 2,202 352 28,995 ! Tota i s ..| i )698 1,550 5 1932 .. 5,806 2,188 296 32,317 J I I War. Totals.. 94,357 "50,385 I 11,655 .. 1916-1920 49,254; 953 13,730 34,571 _J L_J _ I 1921 .. 2,207 ! 358 4,656 31,764 1922 .. 945 369 3,249 29,091 1923 .. 625 358 2,898 26,460 Widows' I 924 •• 551 361 3 ' 484 23,166 lq1 o iqon 5 817 1 '47 2 326 3 444 1925 ■• 432 334 1>946 21 ' 318 1912-1920 5,817 47 l,6Zb Ô iii 353 36g 5g6 2QJU 1»/1 .. v> Ai o O,tAi 1Q97 oka 0K0 00 on cor 1Q99 52S <5 598 3 343 " WD ]ltl " 616 12 536 3 411 1928 •• 330 401 ~ 6 20 ' 560 1923 •• fl 12 I™ J 526 1929 •• 398 36 ° ~ 88 20 ' 686 ; 924 •• I™ i 521 S 598 193 ° •• 347 405 - 111 20 ' 739 1925 .. WJ, b oz4 ci,09» „ _.„ 91 n9F . 1926 .... 684 I 447 ô,bôô . ..„ t _ ,„„ „, „.-, 1927 .. 705 6 562 3,970 1932 v 8 — iuu 1928 •■ 761 4 629 4 ' 098 Totals 56 571 5 440 30 090 1929 .. 823 5| 584 4,332 lotals.. _5b,ô71 dU.UW 1930 .. 702 6 j 655 4,373 Miners'. 1931 .. j 815 9 i 613 4,566 1916-1920 j 683 133 135 j 415 1932 .. 798 8 ; 647 4,709 I 1921 .. 107 43 5 474 1922 .. 78 38 8 506 Totals.. 14,203 124 9,370 .. 1923 .. 96 52 6 544 I ■ 1924 .. 88 48 4 580 1925 .. Ill 70 14 607 1926 .. 96 50 13 640 m . , 1927 .. 84 51 5 668 mmd " 1928 .. 104 47 4 721 1925 .. 114 .. .. 114 1929 .. 94 53 2 760 1926 .. 92 9 1 196 1930 .. 86 59 8 779 1927 .. 46 6 4 232 i 93 i .. 153 51 5 876 1928 .. 39 11 1 259 1932 .. 175 56 4 j 991 1929 .. 43 14 6 282 1930 .. 47 10 8 311 Totals.. 1,955 751 213 1931 43 18 6 330 ~-~ —; 1932 45 13 2 360 Epidemic. 1920 .. 939 **■■••; " 81 " •• SS :: 1 .. 4 IS Z 1923 .. .. 2 112 569 1924 .... 1 111 457 1925 .. .. .. 92 365 Family Allowances. 1926 .. .. 1 51 313 1928 ..I 3,154! 25 123 3,006 1927 .... 2 52 259 1929 .. 1,437 39 641 3,763 1928 .... 3 47 209 1930 .. 1,004 41 858 3,868 1929 .... .. 21 188 1931 .. 1,399 46 604 4,617 1930 .... 1 27 160 1932 .. 3,040 1 56 269 7,332 1931 .. .. •■ 22 138 j , 1932 .... .. 27 111 Totals.. j^^__^_ Totals . . 9 72 14 847 ~~ * This represents 546 reinstatements less 446 actual cancellations.