FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSIONS DEPARTMENT. FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1939.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1939 Session I, H-18

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1939. NEW ZEALAND.

FORTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSIONS DEPARTMENT. FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1939.

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 of Pensions. Sir,— Pensions Department, Wellington, 31st March, 1939. 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', invalidity, and sundry pensions, family allowances, and war veterans' allowances for the year ended 31st March, 1939. 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.

As at 31st March, 1938. As at 31st March, 1939. Class of Pension. , Total " Total Number. Annual Value. Payments, Number. Annual Value. Payments, 1937-38. 1938-39. £ £ £ £ War 24,096 1,579,724 1,597,524 24,257 1,024,544 1,616,248 Old-age .. .. .. 59,953 3,373.331 3,235,057 66,694 3,733,238 3,577,129 Widows' .. .. .. 4,982 476,907 471,287 5,196 496,831' 487,216 Maori War .. .. 27 1,580 j 1,806 20 1,170 j 1,338 Miners' .. .. .. 1,060 86,537 88,167 1,062 85,938 ! 87,094 Epidemic .. .. .. j .. .. 14 .. .. Invalidity.. .. .. 10,633 674,934 632,829 12,489 794,636 750,748 Boer War .. .. .. 55 1,939 1,991 r>4 1,917 1,905 Sundry pensions and annuities I 142 12,642 12,554 137 11 ,772 i 12,390 Civil Service Act, 1908 .. 10 3,500 3,632 9 3,183 3,25(1 Family allowances .. .. 6,853 j 94,168 106,402 5,606 79,739 j 84,436 War veterans'allowances .. 2,204 159,279 161,267 2,223 159,031 158,584 Totals .. ..110,015 6,464,541 6,312,530 1117,747 6,991,999 1 6,780,344 1 I Cost per head of European population : 1937-38, £4 3s. 2d. ; 1938-39, £4 8s. 3d.

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PAYMENTS ON BEHALF OF 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, 1939, shows an increase over the preceding year of £18,724.

Summary of Annual Liability as at 31st March, 1939.

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Number at * i a t> fiovcnnnent. Cla SS of Pension. 31st March, *»£ g™& *£»*• £ £ s. d. £ Great Britain .. .. War .. .. 1,349 70,400 52 0 0 \ .. Army and civil .. 745 48,788 66 0 0 J^ 9 .^ 1 Australia .. .. .. War .. .. j 528 24,417 46 0 0 25,445 India .. .. .. Army and civil .. 66 18,743 284 0 0 15,414 South Africa .. .. I War" .. .. 5 403 81 0 0 \ . .. Q .. ; Civil .. .. 34 3,832 113 0 0 / *'* W Crown Colonies .. .. „ .. 36 10,948 304 0 0 12,787' Canada .. .. .. War .. .. 1 222 222 0 0 446 Totals.. .. .. 2,764 177,753 .. 187,582 ! i

Payments made in — ■ .Total. London. Australia. Canada. \ New Zealand. £ £ ! £ £ £ £ £ Total payments to 31st 1,168,575 709,369 41,488 7,865 12,261 25,968,530 27,908,088 March, 1938 Payments in 1938-39 51,294 47,997 2,825! 616 441 1,513,075 1,616,248 Total payments to 31st 1,219,869 757,366 i 44,313 j 8,481 ! 12,702 ' 27,481,605 29,524,336 _ March, 1939 _j | I J

™ j- n • Number of Number of . • , 7 , Average Class of Peaeion. Pensioners. Children. Annual Value. p^ £ £ Soldiers (permanent) .. .. .. 11,475 37 705,181 61 Soldiers (temporary) .. .. .. 4,318 24 316,528 73 Dependants of disabled soldiers .. .. 3,146 5,245 264,951 84 Widows (without children) .. .. 1,465 .. 143,859 98 Widows (with children).. .. .. 414 763 67,913 164 Other dependants of deceased soldiers— Parents .. .. .. .. 3,255 .. 118,57.1 36 Other adult dependants .. .. 99 .. 3,407 34 Guardians of children .. .. 85 157 4,134 49 Totals, &c 24,257 6,226 1,624,544 67

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War Pensions payable outside New Zealand as at 31st March, 1939.

Economic Pensions payable at 31st March, 1939.

War Pension Appeals. Appeals outstanding on 3Lst March, 1938 . . . . . . .. .170 Appeals lodged during 1938-39 . . . . . . . . .. 657 827 Appeals dismissed during 1938-39 . . .. .. .. 321 Appeals upheld during 1938-39 .. .. .. .. .. 385 Appeals withdrawn and struck out, 1938-39 .. .. ..24 730 Appeals outstanding on 31s March, 1939 .. .. .. 97 Percentage upheld, 52-7. The total number of appeals dealt with to the 31st March, 1939, was 10,075, the percentage upheld being 48-5. Of the 730 cases dealt with during the past year, 414 were heard at Auckland, 60-8 per cent, being upheld : 86 at Wellington, 39-5 per being uphold : 136 at, Ohristchurch, 38-2 per cent, being upheld : and 94 at Dunedin, 50 per cent, being upheld. Medical treatment of war pensioners during 1938-39 cost £68,535. 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 £2,816 during the year. The loading paid on life-insurance policies of war pensioners due to war-service disability amounted to £170 for the year. Temporary war pensions to soldiers decreased by 121 and permanent pensions to soldiers increased by 439 during the year. The 585 deaths among war pensioners are made up as follows : Soldiers, 238 ; widows of soldiers, 13 ; other dependants, 334. War Veterans' Allowances. Since the passing of the War Veterans' Allowances Act in October, 1935, 3,426 cases have been granted, of which 2,223, with an annual value of £159,031, were in force as at 31st March, 1939. These comprised 917 single veterans, 1,245 married veterans, 60 widows, and I grant on account of an orphaned child. The total dependent children in receipt of allowances as at 31st March, 1939, numbered 1,833.

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Wives and Soldiers. Parents of Dependants. Soldiers. ____ Annual Liability. Permanent. Temporary. Temporary. Widows. , Great Britain.. .. 309 56 46 140 307 50,411 Australia .. .. 372 125 68 74 91 46,128 Other countries .. 59 14 10 9 21 5,861 Totals .J 740 195 124 223 419 102,400

Averago Class. Number. Annual Value. Annual Grant. _____ I £ £ Soldiers with permanent pensions .. .. .. 2,328 143,129 61 Soldiers with temporary pensions .. .. .. 1,500 94,18J 63 Widows with children .. .. .. .. 120 3,720 31 Widows without children .. .. .. .. 442 17,095 39 Widowed mothers .. .. .. .. .. 120 5,457 45 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 4,510 263,582 58

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War Vetekans' Allowances Appeals. Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1938 .. .. .. . . 6 Appeals lodged during 1938-39 .. .. .. .. .. 27 — 33 Appeals dismissed during 1938-39 .. .. .. .. 16 Appeals upheld during 1938-39 .. .. .. .. .. 16 Appeals withdrawn and struck out, 1938-39 . . . . .... — 32 Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1939 .. . . . . 1 Percentage upheld, 50. FAMILY ALLOWANCES. The claims lodged during the year totalled 1,861, which, with the 86 outstanding from the previous year, made a total of 1,947 to be dealt with. Of these, 807 were accepted and 610 rejected. Of the rejected claims, 383 represent cases where the income of the family was in excess of the limit allowed. Four hundred and thirty-eight new claims from Maoris were finally dealt with during the year, 248 being granted and 190 rejected. The total children of the 5,606 allowances in force as at 31st March 1 , 1939, and those in excess of two in a family numbered 26,992 and 15,780, the average per family being 4-81 and 2-81 respectively. The total amount paid during the year was £84,436, while the total annual value of all allowances in force at the close of the year was £79,739.

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 £113,070, the principal items of expenditure being £62,932 for salaries of officers of the Department, £26,315 and £4,889 paid to the Postal Department for payment of pensions and postage and telegrams respectively, £4,791 for salaries and other expenses of the War Pensions Appeal Board, and £2,477 for salaries of the War Pensions Board. The number on the staff at 31st March, 1939, was 406, and of these, 69 were appointed during March in connection with work - preparatory to the coming into operation of the Social Security Department. The percentage of cost of administration to the total pension payments made of £6,967,926 (including £187,582 paid on behalf of other Governments) was 1-62, or 3-9 d. in the pound. Preliminary expenses incurred on account of the Social Security Department amounted to £12,149 as at 31st March, 1939. LEGISLATION. On the 14th September, 1938, the Social Security Act, 1938, was passed and with the coming into operation of that Act from the Ist April, 1939, the Pensions Department will lose its identity, it then being absorbed in the new Social Security Department, and all the officers of the Pensions Department will be transferred to the new department. The War Pensions Act, 1915, and the War Veterans' Allowances Act, 1935, which have been administered by the Pensions Department under the Commissioner of Pensions, will in future be administered by the Social Security Department under the Secretary for War Pensions. In submitting this last report of the Pensions Department I would like to pay a tribute to the efficiency and loyalty of the staff during the years that the Pensions Department was operating.

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Weekly Kate Is. j 2s. 3s. 4s. 5s. 6s. 7s. 8s. 10s. 12s. 14s. 16s. _J _ J Number granted .. .. 10 353 9 198 3 130 2 58 29 10 2 3 _] I 1 i. i

Number of Children , 0 Q . r a „ o in Exoesa of Two. Number of families .. .. ..338 203 141 78 28 13 5 1 'ill

Weekly Income. £1 and under. ' ° Ter £ 1 J £ ld Up [ Oret^^ d UP 0 ™ r %f Up | Over £4. i I Number of families .. 24 72 194 472 45

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Statistics in regard to Civil Pensions.

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I Old-age. i Widows'. Maori War. Miners , . Invalidity. I I Pensions in force at 31st Maroh, 1938 .. 59,953 4,982 27 / 192+} 10 » 633 New pensions granted, 1938-39 .. .. 12,008 1,094 .. / ™* \ 3,776 Deaths during 1938-39 .. .. •.. 4.179 10 I 7 12 \ 871 Cancellations 'during ] 938-39 .. .. 1,088 870! .. 27 1,049 Net increase or decrease .. .. .. +.6,741 +214 —7 +2 +1,856 {Q7"I * ""1 ?oj. > 1.2,489 Total children in receipt of pension, 31st 10,271 390 .'$,602 March, 1939 Total European pensioners .. .. 03,771 4,021 II 1,062 11,734 Total Maori pensioners .. .. .. 2,872 575 9 .. 75.1 Total Asiatic pensioners .. . . . . 51 . . . . .. 4 {Pensioners under section 7 (6), Pensions Act, 169 1926 Percentage of European pensioners to total 4-1.5 0-30 .. 0'07 0-76 European population New claims lodged .. .. .. 10,915 2,649 .. 130 7,201 New claims rejected .. .. .. 2,317 398 .. 33 3,152 Number of children on whose account pension . . 2,341 granted Annual liability at 31st, March, 1939 .. £3,733,238 £496,831 £1,170 £85,938 £794,630 Average pension per annum .. .. £55 19s. 6d. £95 12s. 4d. £58 10s, 0d. £80 18s, 3d. £68 12s. 6d. Gross expenditure for year 1938-39 .. £3,577,120 1 £487,21.0 £1,338 £87,094 £750,748 Increase or decrease'on figures of previous 1 |-£342,072 +£15,929 --£468 —£1,073 +£117,919 year Cost per head of European, population .. £2 6s. 6-8d. 0s. 4d. 0'2d. Is. l'6d. 9s. 9-2d. Credit from national endowment .. .. £43,595 Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. £1,547 £329 .. £3 £322 Number of pensioners in homes and hospitals 1,809 .. 1 15 1,126 Amount paid to controlling authorities of £98,232 .. £49 £1,353 £63,968 these Number of pensioners in mental hospitals .. 211 4 .. 3 Amount paid to Mental Hospitals Depart- £12,251 £118 .. £185 ment on account of these Unpaid instalments as at 31st March, 1939 .. £8,839 £1,698 £10 £265 £3,770 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid.. £4,036 £683 .. £48 £1,974 Average of family under fifteen years . . .. 1. ■ 98 Total claims lodged to date .. .. 195,674 25,567 1,893 3,749 26,332 Total claims established .. .. .. 154,891 20,264 1,098 2,873 1.6,147 Total claims rejected .. .. .. 36,774 4,063 195 872 9,391 Total number of children benefited.. .. . . 48,085 Total deaths .. .. .. .. 71,615 164 1,672 1,1.67 1,966 Total guardians appointed . . .. . . 463 Total cancellations .. .. .. 16,582 14,904 6 644 1,692 Grand total paid to date .. .. .. £34,320,907 £0,222,169 £612,553 £1,078,719£l,842,194 Total amount paid on account funeral expenses .. .. .. £11,213 Total credit from national endowment .. £946,044 Invalidity appeals — Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1938 . . . . . . . . . . 57 Appeals lodged during 1938-39 . . .. . . . . . . . . 688 Appeals dismissed during 1988-39 . . .. • . .. . . 400 Appeals upheld during 1988-39 . . . . . . .. . . . . 262 Appeals withdrawn and struck out 1938-39 .. .. . . . . 38 Appeals outstanding on 31st March, 1939.. .. .. .. .. 45 Percentage upheld .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 37-4 * Miners. t Widows of miners. % 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 169 eases above comprise : European — Males, 60 and under 65, 141 ; females, 55 and under 60, 13 ; Maori — Males, 60 and under 65, 14; females, 55 and under 60, 1. Total European population at 31st March, 1939, 1,536,264.

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Comparative Statement relating to the Annual Value and Gross Payments of all Pensions administered by the Department during the Years 1935-39.

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As at31st March, 1935. As at 31st March. 1936. As at 31st March, 1937. As at 31st March, 1938. As at 31st March, 1939. I i . ' (lass of Pension. ! £ £ ££ ! £ £ ££ ££ War .. .. .. 21,678 11.264,375 1,264,110 22,631 1,384,340 1,349,447 23,711 1,532,424 ; 1,483.345 24,096 1,579.724 1,597 524 24 257 1624 544 1616 248 Old-age .. .. .. 40,141 1,583,413 1,519.889 43,309 1,828.150 1.718,601 54,134 3,068,293 '2,413, 103 59,953 3,373,331 3 :>35 057 66'694 3*733*?38 3'577'l29 Widows' .. .. .. 4,505 294,437 296.565 4,369 i 321,605 311.864 4,753 464.879 1 412,280 4,982 476 907 471 -?87 ->'l96 '49e'831 *487*216 MaoriWar .. .. I 65 3,185 3,607 43 i 2,107 2,577 36 2,106' 1.972 27 1580 1*806 ' 20 "l'l70 l'&8 Miners' .. .. .. 783 60,510 58,740 1 851 73,331- 67,834 1,040 '87.838! 83,253 1,060 86,537 88'l67 106'' 85*938 87*094 Epidemic .. .. .. 34 1,563 1,983 ; 10 501 907 3 ! 76 ! 253 .. U Blind .. .. .. 474 22,151 21.227 507 23,961 22.991 .. .. .. .. _[ ♦Invalidity .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,491 478,165 284,760 10,633 674,934 632.829 12 489 794 636 750 748 Boer War.. .. .. 53! 2,108 2,084 55 2.086 ! 2,127 57 2.131 2.067 55 1939 1991 '54 i'qit l'qnfi Sundry pensions and annuities 139 12,176 12,120 151 15,065 13,053 144 13,161 13,892 14-' 12 64' i - 12*554 137 11*772 1->'W> Civil Service Act. 1908 .. 15 1 5.073 5.211 13 4,460 4,676 11 3,933 4,106 10 3.500 3*639 9 3 ' 18 o So-., Family allowances .. .. 12.321 151,169 152,818 11,691 144,856 149,043 9,515 125,702 j 130,730 6,853 94,168' 106*402 5,606 79*739 84*436 War veterans'allowances .. .. .. .. 1,043 58,358 j 16,544 2,079 151,713 110,667 2,204 159*279 j 161,267 ; 2*223 159031 I 158*584 Totals .. .. 80,208 3,400,160 3,338,354 84,673 |3,858, 820 J3,659, 664 102,974 5,930.421 4.940,428 ' 110,015 6,464 541 6 31-> 530 117 747~6 991 999 6 780 344 i I I _J ' ' ' ' * Blind pensions formerly payable were merged with invalidity pensions. Cost per head of European population : 1935, £2 5s. ; 1936. £2 9s. Id. ; 1937, £3 5s. 9d. : 1938, £4 3s. 2d. : 1939, £4 8s. 3d.

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

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Number of In Force „ , , Number of I ,, I In Force M sar D °" h " ps-lisnt fttt tsx : 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 ] 92 9 .. 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 i S 32 .. 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 1937 .. J ,131 25 3,282 9,515 1928 .. 3,638 2,093 421 24,875 1938 774 7 3,429 6,853 1929 .. 3,614 1,968 411 26,110 1939 .. 745 3 1,989 5,606 1930 .. 3,506 2,242 465 26,909 1931 .. 4,640 2,202 352 28,995 Totals.. 23,443 496 17,341 1932 .. 5,806 2,188 296 32,317 1933 .. 5,534 2,262 657 34,932 1934 .. 5,509 2,369 565 37,507 1935 .. 5,934 2,744 556 40,141 Maor i War. IS? :: i*;£s I:™ SS KX >•»-»» >.*j ™ 2 ™ 1938 .. 10,685 3,956 910 59,953 f 1939 .. 12,008 4,179 1,088 66,694 j " 1 J™ Totals.. 154,891 71,615 16,582 .. .. 1 80 I 589 ~ ; 1926 !! 74 1 444 Widows. 1927 70 374: 1912-1920 5,817 47 2,326 3,444 1928 66 .. 30 8 1921 .. 627 8 642 3,421 1929 49 .. 259 1922 .. 523 3 598 3,343 1930 .. .. 50 .. 209 1923 .. 616 12 536 3,411 j 9 3j ] 40 170 1924 .. 730 8 607 3,526 i 932 27 143 1925 .. 602 6 524 3,598 1933 36 | i 0 6 1926 .. 684 2 447 3,833 1934 20 .. 86 1927 .. 705 6 562 3,970 21 , 35 1928 .. 761 4 629 4,098 1936 " 22 . . 43 1929 .. 823 5 584 4,332 i 937 7 36 1930 .. 702 6 655 4,373 1938 9 27 1931 .. 815 9 613 4,566 , 939 " 7 20 1932 .. 798 8 647 4,709 1933 .. 731 3 750 4,687 Totalg lm ]672 6 1934 .. 703 5 766 4,619 1935 .. 687 2 799 4,505 1936 .. 696 10 822 4,369 1937 .. 1,117 7 726 4,753 War. 1938 .. 1,033 3 801 4,982 I 9 16-1920 49,254 953 13,730 34,571 1939 .. 1,094 10 870 5,196 i 92 l .. 2,207 358 4,656 31,764 1922 .. 9 45 369 3,249 29,091 Totals.. 20,264 164 14,904 .. i 9 23 .. 625 358 2,898 26,460 1924 551 361 3,4 8 4 23,166 Invalidity. 1925 .. 432 334 1,946 21,318 19 25 114 114 1926 .. 353 369 586 20,716 1926 " 92 9 1 196 1927 .. 350 353 88 20,625 1 9 27 46 6 4 232 1928 .. 330 401 -6 20,560 1928 39 11 1 259 1929 .. 398 360 —88 20,686 1929 .. 43 14 6 282 1930 .. 347 405 -111 20,739 1930 .. 47 10 8 311 1931 431 387 -242 21,025 1931 . 43 18 6 330 1932 .. 348 432 —100 21,041 1932 .. 45 13 2 360 1933 .. 352 400 -111 21,104 1933 52 9 8 395 1934 .. 365 419 -264 21,314 1934 .. 60 12 5 438 1935 .. 463 445 —346 21,678 1935 70 24 10 474- 1936 .. 740 451 —664 22,631 1936 .. 55 13 9 507 1937 .. 1,136 484 -428 23,711 1937 .. 7,292 201 107 7,491 1938 .. 665 541 —261 24,096 1938 .. 4,373 755 476 10,633 1939 .. 586 585 *—160 24,257 1939 .. 3,776 871 1,049 12,489 — Totals.. 60,878 8,765 27,856 Totals.. 16,147 1,966 1,692 .. * This represents 608 reinstatements, less 448 actual cancellations.

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

H. Digby Smith, Commissioner of Pensions.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (680 copies) £12.

Authority: E. V. Paul, Government Printer, Wellington. —1939.

I'rice (id.]

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. , , , Number of „ ,, In Force v j„Number of „ i In Force vi^Tur 1 Pensions Deaths. , • " at End of . M h Pensions Deaths, I ,. "at End of 31st March, granted . ! turns. Period _ 31st March, tions. per . od 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 1 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 1937 .. 267 58 20 1,040 1937 .... .. 7 3 1938 114 65 29 1,060 1938 .. .. .. 3 1939 101 72 1 27 1,062 — ! Totals.. 972 14 958 Totals.. 2,873 1,167 644 War Veterans' Allowances. 1936 .. 1,061 7 11 1,043 1937 .. 1,468 44 388 2,079 1938 .. 527 53 349 2,204 1939 .. 370 45 306 2,223 Totals.. 3,426 149 1,054 1 . _j_ * The administration of Epidemic Pensions was taken over from the Health Department as from 1st April, 1920. There were no payments made during 1938-39 under this heading as the pensionable children had reached the disqualifying age prior to 1st April, 1938.