THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSIONS DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1936.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1936 Session I, H-18

H.—lB.

1936. NEW ZEALAND.

THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSIONS DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1936.

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

The Commissioner of Pensions to the Hon. the Minister op Pensions. g IB Pensions Department, Wellington, 23rd July, 1936. I 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, family allowances, and war veterans' allowances, for the year ended 31st March, 1936. 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 : 1934-35, £2 ss. ; 1935-36, £2 9s. Id.

As at 31st March, 1935. As at 31st March. 1936. Class of Pension. Total Total Number. Annual Value. Payments, Number. Annual Value. Payments, 1934-35. 1935-36. £ £ £ £ War .. ..21,678 1,264,375 1,264,110 22,631 1,384,340 1,349,447 .. .J 40,141 1,583,413 1,519,889 43.309 1,828,150 1,718,601 Widows' .. .. •• 4,505 294,437 296,565 4,369 321,605 311,864 Maori War .. .. .. 65 3,185 3,607 43 2,107 2,577 Miners' .. 783 60,510 58,740 851 73,331 67,834 Epidemic 34 1,563 1,983 10 501 907 Blind .. .. •• 474 22,151 21,227 507 23,961 22,991 Boer War .. .. .. 53 2,108 2,084 55 2,086 2,127 Sundry pensions and annuities.. 139 12,176 12,120 151 15,065 13,053 Civil Service Act, 1908 .. 15 5,073 5,211 13 4,460 4,676 Family allowances .. .. 12,321 151,169 152,818 11,691 144,856 149,043 War veterans'allowances .. .. •• 1,043 58,358 16,544 Totals .. .. 80,208 3,400,160 3,338,354 84,673 3,858,820 3,659,664

H.—lB.

Payments on Behalf op other Governments. The following figures relate to the war and other pensions paid by the Department during the year on behalf of other Governments :—

WAR PENSIONS. Summary of War Pension Payments.

The amount paid for the year ended 31st March, 1936, shows an increase over the preceding year of £85,337.

Summary of Annual Liability as at 31st March, 1936.

War Pensions payable outside New Zealand as at 31st March, 1936.

2

Number at j . , . Government. Class of Pension. 31st March. Annua] Average Payments, 1936 Value. Pension. 1935-36. £ £ s. d. £ Great Britain .. .. War .. .. 1,404 74,054 53 0 0 \ „ .. .. Army and civil .. 746 52,172 70 0 0 j160, 122 Australia .. .. War .. .. 514 24,737 48 2 6 26,061 India .. .. .. Army and civil .. 63 15,320 243 0 0 19,578 South Africa .. .. War .. .. 4 156 39 0 0 \ ■ • Civil .. .. 33 4,141 125 10 0 / 01 Crown Colonies .. .. „ .. .. 35 9,098 260 0 0 11,701 Canada .. .. .. War .. .. 1 215 215 0 0 583 Totals.. .. .. 2,800 179,893 .. 223,346

Payments made in - Total. London. Australia. Canada. Africa ' Countries New Zealand - | ~~ * ~ " ££££££ £ Total payments to 31st 1,015,819 582,360 34,346 5,905 9,803 21,829,539 23,477 772 March, 1935 Payments in 1935-36 49,093 40,716 2,436 712 1,079 1,255,411 1,349,447 Total payments to 31st 1,064,912 623,076 36,782 6,617 10,882 23,084,950 24,827,219 March, 1936

Class of Pension. Number of dumber of . Average Pensioners. Children. ;11 vame - Pension. £ £ Soldiers (permanent) .. .. .. 10,301 38 572,517 56 Soldiers (temporary) .. .. .. 4,263 60 301,584 71 Dependants of disabled soldiers .. .. 2,658 4,960 199,304 75 Widows (without children) .. .. 1,233 .. 115,484 94 Widows (with children).. .. .. 351 703 57,530 135 Other dependants of deceased soldiers — Parents .. .. .. .. 3,582 .. 127,247 36 Other adult dependants .. .. 88 .. 2,666 30 Guardians of children .. .. 155 292 8,008 52 Totals, &c. .. .. .. 22,631 6,053 1,384,340 61

Wives and Soldiers. Parents of Dependants. Soldiers. Annual Liability Permanent. Temporary. Temporary. Widows. Dependai * £ Great Britain.. .. 289 67 43 147 381 50,788 Australia .. .. 315 181 40 61 130 41,699 Other countries ..52 24 2 6 25 4,956 Totals 656 272 85 214 536 97,443

H.—lB.

Economic Pensions payable at 31st March, 1936.

War Pension Appeals. Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1935 .. .. .. 325 Appeals lodged during 1935-36 .. .. .. .. 1,088 1,413 Appeals dismissed during 1935-36 .. .. .. .. 520 Appeals upheld during 1935-36 . . .. .. .. 540 Appeals withdrawn and struck out, 1935-36 .. .. 25 1,085 Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1936 .. .. .. 328 Percentage upheld, 48-9. The total number of appeals dealt with to the 31st March, 1936, was 7,499, the percentage upheld being 48 per cent. Of the 1,085 cases dealt with during the past year, 610 were heard at Auckland, 57 per cent, being upheld ; 127 at Wellington, 41-7 per cent, being upheld ; 244 at Christohurch, 35-6 per cent, being upheld ; and 104 at Dunedin, 50 per cent, being upheld.

Medical treatment of war pensioners during 1935-36 cost £70,995. 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 £1,596 during the year. The loading paid on life-insurance policies of war pensioners due to war-service disability amounted to £171 for the year. Temporary war pensions to soldiers increased by 388 and permanent pensions to soldiers increased by 315 during the year. The 451 deaths among war pensioners are made up as follows : Soldiers, 168 ; widows of soldiers, 17 ; other dependants, 266. War Veterans' Allowances. Since the passing of the War Veterans' Allowances Act in October, 1935, 1,061 cases have been granted, of which 1,043, with an annual value of £58,358, were in force as at 31st March, 1936. These comprised 539 single and 504 married veterans, with 874 dependent children. War Veterans' Allowances Appeals. Appeals lodged during 1935-36 .. f . .. .. .. 51 Appeals dismissed during 1935-36.. .. .. .. 7 Appeals upheld during 1935-36 .. .. .. .. .. 7 Appeals withdrawn and struck out during 1935-36 .. .. 1 - 15 Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1936 .. .. .. 36 Percentage upheld, 46-6. Family Allowances. The claims lodged during the year totalled 1,988, which, with the 282 outstanding from the previous year, made a total of 2,270 to be dealt with. Of these, 1,730 were accepted and 315 rejected. Of the rejected claims 117 represent cases where the income of the family was in excess of the limit allowed. Four hundred and sixty-nine new claims from Maoris were finally dealt with during the year, 324 being granted and 145 rejected. The total children of the 11,691 allowances in force as at 31st March, 1936, and those in excess of two in a family numbered 51,788 and 28,406, the average per family being 4-43 and 2-43 respectively. The total amount paid during the year was £149,043, while the total annual value of all allowances in force at the close of the year was £144,856.

3

! Average Class. Number. Annual Value. Annual Grant. £ £ Soldiers with permanent pensions .. .. .. 1,633 90,696 56 Soldiers with temporary pensions .. .. .. 1,467 82,051 56 Widows with children .. .. .. .. 60 1,581 26 Widows without children .. .. .. .. 255 8,483 33 Widowed mothers .. .. .. .. .. 186 7,073 38 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 3,601 189,884 53

H.—lB.

Weekly Rates at which Allowances granted.

Numbers according to Size of Family.

Weekly Incomes of Families.

Cost of Administration. The cost of administration for the year amounted to £71,346, the principal items of expenditure being £34,849 for salaries of officers of the Department, who numbered 194 as at 31st March, 1936; £19,734 and £3,676 paid to the Postal Department for payment of pensions and postage and telegrams respectively; £4,674 for salaries and other expenses of the War Pensions Appeal Board ; and £2,224 for salaries of the War Pensions Board. The percentage of cost of administration to the total pension payments made of £3,883,010 (including £223,346 paid on behalf of other Governments) was 1-83, or 4-4 d. in the pound. LEGISLATION. Civil Pensions. In terms of the provisions of the Finance Act, 1935, legislation was passed to restore, as from the Ist August, 1935, the rates of civil pensions to those obtaining prior to the reductions brought about by the operation of the National Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1932. This affected the various classes of pensions as follows : — Olcl-age Pensions. Section 13 provided for the maximum rate of old-age pensions to be increased from £43 to £45 10s. per annum. The income exemption was increased from £41 to £52, and the limiting amount of income and pension for married couples from £127 to £143 per annum. Section 14 increased the income and pension limit of those South African War veterans in receipt of a pension additional to the old-age pension under the provisions of section 45 of the Pensions Act, 1926, from £84 to £97 10s. per annum. Widows' Pensions. Section 15 repealed the provisions of the National Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1932, whereby widows' pensions were reduced by 10 per cent., and restored same to the full rates formerly payable— that is, £1 weekly to a widow with one child under the age of fifteen years, increased by 10s. weekly for each additional child, with a maximum pension of £4 weekly. The rate of the income exemption was also restored to the previous rate of £78 per annum. Miners' Pensions. Section 16 increased the rate of miners' pensions to that payable prior to the passing of the National Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1932 —that is, 255. weekly to a single or widowed miner, 255. weekly to a married miner, plus 10s. weekly on behalf of his wife, plus 10s. weekly in respect of each child under the age of fifteen years, with a maximum pension of £4 ss. weekly, and 17s. 6d. weekly to the widow of the miner. War Pensions. Under the provisions of the War Pensions Amendment Act, 1935, the definition of a dependant was widened to include the wives and widows of members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force whose marriage took place within seven years of their discharge from the Forces and the children of such marriages, provided that, in the event of the death of the soldier occurring within one year of the date of marriage, the War Pensions Board was satisfied that at the date of marriage the member had a reasonable expectation of surviving for at least one year thereafter. Provision was also made for dependants of members of the New Zealand Motor-boat Patrol to be placed on the same footing as dependants of members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force so far as their qualification for dependency is concerned.

4

Weekly Rate. Is. 2s. 3s. 4s. 5s. 6s. 7s. 8s. 10s. 12s. 13s. 14s. a jl li s | ' Slpl 1 . 1 I Number granted .. 13 997 1 405 3 167 2 92 j 26 19 1 4 ! |

Number of Children , 0 0 a x a n o n • ™ o m 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. o. 7. 8. 9. in Excess of Two. Number of families .. 983 406 186 97 29 22 4 3

Weekly Income. £1 and under. 0ver^^ ld U P 0ver^ nd U P Up Over £3 5 S . ~i Number of families .. 122 752 515 315 26

H,— lB.

Section 17 of the Finance Act, 1935, increased by 7-§ per cent, those dependants' pensions which had been reduced by 17| per cent, under the National Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1932. Economic pensions to ex-soldiers and their dependants were also increased by 1\ per cent. Wab Veterans' Allowances. The War Veterans' Allowances Act, 1935, which came into force on the 24th October, 1935, made provision for the payment of allowances to veterans who served with a unit in actual engagement with the enemy and to members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service who served overseas, if they are now unfit for permanent employment. A veteran includes a member of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, a member of any other of the British Forces who was domiciled in New Zealand at the commencement of the Great War, and a member of any New Zealand contingent raised for service in the South African War who was domiciled in New Zealand at the commencement of that war. The following rates of allowances are provided : Unmarried veteran, £52 per annum ; married veteran, £52 per annum, with an additional £39 in respect of his wife and £13 on account of each dependent child, the maximum allowance payable under the Act being £143 per annum. Income exemptions of £26 and £39 are provided in the cases of single and married applicants respectively.

Statistics in regard to Civil Pensions.

Total European population at 31st March, 1936, 1,491,708.

5

1-1 Old-age. i Widows'. Maori War. ! Miners'. Blind. Epidemic. Pensions in force at 31st March, 1935 .. 40,141 4,505 65 115-f-J 34 New pensions granted, 1935-36 .. .. 6 ,476 696 .. J" Deaths during 1935-36 .. .. .. 2,746 10 22 70' 13 Cancellations during 1935-36 .. .. 562 822 4 9 24 Net increase or decrease .. .. .. +3,168 —136 — 22 +68 +33 —24 Pensions in force at 31st March, 1936 .. 43,309 4,369 43 851 507 10 Total children in. receipt of pension, 31st .. 8,901 .. 335 .. 10 March, 1936 Total European pensioners sixty-five years and 34,205 . . .. over at 31st March, 1936 Total female European pensioners sixty years 7,156 to sixty-four years at 31st March, 1936 Total Maori pensioners .. .. .. 1,901 395 14 .. 66 { Pensioners under section 7 (6), Pensions Act, 50 1926 Percentage of European pensioners to total 2-8 European population New claims lodged .. .. .. 7,851 797 .. 219 83 New claims rejected .. .. .. 1,264 92 .. 69 24 Number of children on whose account pension .. 1,678 granted Annual liability at 31st March, 1936 .. £1,828,150 £321,605 £2,107 £73,331 £23,961 £501 Average pension per annum .. .. £42 4 3 £73 12 3 £49 0 0 £86 3 5 £47 5 3 £50 2 1 Gross expenditure for year 1935-36 .. £1,718,601 £311,864 £2,577 £67,834 £22,991 £907 Increase or decrease on figures of previous +£198,712 +£15,299 —£1,030 +£9,094 +£1,764 —£] ,076 year Cost per head of European population . . £] 3s. Od. 4s. 2d. 0'4d. 10-9d. 3-7d. 0-15d. Credit from national endowment .. .. £41,129 Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. £830 £158 .. £8 £1 Number of pensioners in homes and hospitals 1,139 .. 4 13 110 Amount paid to controlling authorities of £51,134 .. £278 £914 £6,860 these Number of pensioners in mental hospitals .. 161 2 .. 1 Amount paid to Mental Hospitals Depart- £6,664 £50 .. £61 ment on account of these Unpaid instalments as at 31st March, 1936 .. £7,723 £1,624 £13 £114 £75 £3 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid.. £2,009 £482 .. £37 £71 Average of family under fifteen years ' .. .. 2-04 Total claims lodged to date .. .. 148,972 19,913 1,893 3,076 966 Total claims established .. .. .. 117,810 17,020 1,698 2,391 706 972 Total claims rejected .. .. 30,384 2,839 195 659 250 Total number of children benefited.. .. .. 41,129 Total deaths .. .. .. .. 60,506 144 1,649 972 139 14 Total guardians appointed .. .. .. 388 Total cancellations .. .. .. 13,995 12,507 6 568 60 948 Grand total paid to date .. .. .. £25,095,618 £4,851,386 £607,437 £820,205 £173,857 £473,834 Total amount paid on account funeral expenses .. .. .. £8,952 Total credit from national endowment .. £819,449 * Miners. t Widows of miners. J Pensions may be granted to males sixty years and over and to females fifty-five years and over in cases where two or more children under fifteen are being maintained. The fifty cases above comprise : European — Males, 60 and under 65, 39 ; females, 55 and under 60, 8 ; Maori— Males, 60 and under 65, 3.

H.—lB.

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

6

v Number of ,, ,, In Force ,, , , Number of „ In Force Yoftr 6n(i6(i ~p - I» f Via OftnccllUr- i tti i r Year 6iid.6(i -p, . j-. ,» Cā>iic6ll£i- , j ? "«"■ S I •»"-* 5™ ; «»»•■ us? Old-age. Family Allowances. 1899-1900 12,186 824 77 11,285 1928 .. 3,154 25 123 3,006 1901-1910 17,848 10,237 3,576 15,320 1929 .. 1,437 39 641 3,763 1911-1920 24,028 16,017 3,338 19,993 1930 .. 1,004 41 858 3,868 1921 .. 2,152 1,880 428 19,837 1931 .. 1,399 46 604 4,617 1922 .. 2,553 1,578 321 20,491 1932 .. 3,040 56 269 7,332 1923 .. 2,781 1,763 328 21,181 1933 .. 3,841 68 785 10,320 1924 .. 2,549 1,870 392 21,468 1934 .. 3,022 68 1,129 12,145 1925 .. 2,654 1,635 425 22,062 1935 .. 2,166 63 1,927 12,321 1926 .. 3,100 1,839 418 22,905 1936 .. 1,730 55 2,305 11,691 1927 .. 3,302 2,049 407 23,751 : r 1928 .. 3,638 2,093 421 24,875 Totals.. 20,793 461 8,641 1929 .. 3,614 1,968 411 26,110 1930 .. 3,506 2,242 465 26,909 1931 .. 4,640 2,202 352 28,995 1932 .. 5,806 2,188 296 32,317 Maori War 1933 .. 5,534 2,262 657 34,932 „ 1934 .. 5,509 2,369 565 37,507 1913-1920 1,691 750 2 939 1935 .. 5,934 2,744 556 40,141 1921 •• 2 130 •• 8 y 1936 .. 6,476 2,746 562 43,309 1922 •• 1 I 2 740 _J 1 ' 1923 .. 1 71 1 669 Totals.. 117,810 60,506 13,995 .. 1924 •• 1 80 1 589 1 1925 .. 1 71 519 w , „, 1926 .... 74 1 444 " 1927 .... 70 374 1912-1920 5,817 47 2,326 3,444 192g 66 308 1921 .. 627 8 642 3,421 1929 49 259 1922 .. 523 3 598 3,343 icno 50 909 1923 .. 616 12 536 3,411 1931 " " 1 40 " 170 1924 .. 730 8 607 3,526 1932 " 27 " 143 1925 .. 602 6 524 3,598 1Q oo " " o fi " i infi 1926 .. 684 2 447 3,833 1934 " 9 0 86 1927 .. 705 6 562 3,970 1935 " " 21 65 1928 .. 761 4 629 4,098 1936 " 22 " 43 1929 .. 823 5 584 4,332 " Ll__ 1930 .. 702 6 655 4,373 Totals.. 1,698 1,649 6 1931 .. 815 9 613 4,566 1932 .. 798 8 647 4,709 1933 .. 731 3 750 4,687 1934 .. 703 5 766 4,619 1935 .. 687 2 799 4,505 War. 1936 .. 696 10 822 4,369 1916-1920 49,254 953 13,730 34,571 — — 1921 .. 2,207 358 4,656 31,764 Totals.. 17,020 144 12,507 .. 1922 .. 945 369 3,249 29,091 1923 .. 625 358 2,898 26,460 Blind. 1924 .. 551 361 3,484 23,166 1925 .. 114 .. 114 1925 .. 432 334 1,946 21,318 1926 .. 92 9 1 196 1926 .. 353 369 586 20,716 1927 .. 46 6 4 232 1927 .. 350 353 88 20,625 1928 .. 39 11 1 259 1928 .. 330 401 -6 20,560 1929 .. 43 14 6 282 1929 .. 398 360 —88 20,686 1930 .. 47 10 8 311 1930 .. 347 405 —111 20,739 1931 . 43 18 6 330 1931 .. 431 387 -242 21,025 1932 .. 45 13 2 360 1932 .. 348 432 —100 21,041 1933 .. 52 9 8 395 1933 .. 352 400 —111 21,104 1934 .. 60 12 5 438 1934 .. 365 419 -264 21,314 1935 .. 70 24 10 474 1935 .. 463 445 —346 21,678 1936 .. 55 13 9 507 1936 .. 740 451 *—664 22,631 Totals.. 706 139 60 .. Totals.. 58,491 7,155 28,705 - y : ; 1 * This represents 1,008 reinstatements less 344 actual cancellations.

H.—lB.

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

J. H. Boyes, Commissioner of Pensions.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given; printing (580 copies), £10.

Authority: G. H. Loney, Government Printer, Wellington. —1936.

Price

7

v„„„ Number of _ ,, In Force , r , . Number of „ „ In Force list March Pensions Deaths. ' at End of J, ea "" de , d Pensions Deaths. Ca ™ella- at End of aistMarch, ! granted _ tions. period 31st March, granted _ turns. Period _ Miners'. Epidemic. 1916-1920 683 133 135 415 1920 .. 939 1921 .. 107 43 5 474 1921 .. 27 4 113 849 1922 .. 78 38 8 506 1922 .. 6 .. 172 683 1923 .. 96 52 6 544 1923 .. .. 2 112 569 1924 .. 88 48 4 580 1924 .. .. 1 111 457 1925 .. Ill 70 14 607 1925 .... .. 92 365 1926 .. 96 50 13 640 1926 .... 1 51 313 1927 .. 84 51 5 668 1927 .... 2 52 259 1928 .. 104 47 4 721 1928 .. 3 47 209 1929 .. 94 53 2 760 1929 .. .. .. 21 188 1930 .. 86 59 8 779 1930 .... 1 27 160 1931 .. 153 51 5 876 1931 22 138 1932 .. 175 56 4 991 1932 . .. .. 27 111 1933 .. 100 52 296 743 1933 .. .. .. 13 98 1934 .. 70 51 26 736 1934 .. .. .. 30 68 1935 .. 124 48 29 783 1935 34 34 1936 ..142 70 4 851 1936 .. .. .. 24 10 Totals.. 2,391 972 568 .. Totals.. 972 14 948 War Veterans' Allowances. 1936 .. | 1,061 1 7 J 11 J 1,043