3

H.—lB

The following table shows the gross amount paid since the Act came into force, together with the cost per head of the population (exclusive of Maoris) in each year : — Gross Payments Population Cost per on Account of at End o£ Head o£ Pensions. Year. Population. £ s. d. Three months ended 31st March, 1899 (at £18) 3,124 746,676 0 1 Year ended 31st March, 1900 (at £18) ... 157,342 758,617 4 1 1901 „ ... 197,292 772,719 5 1 1902 „ ... 207,468 789,994 5 3 • „ 1903 .„ ... 210,140 814,842 5 2 - „ 1904 .; ... 203,164 838,954 410 1905 „ ... 195,475 864,971 4 6 1906* „ ... 254,367 889,968 5 8 1907 (at £26) ... 314,184 - 913,873 6 10 1908 „ ... 325,199 937,587 6 11 1909 „ ... 336,760 968,313 6 11 Total ... ... ... 2,404,515 • Five months at £18; seven months at £26. Eecovebibs. Overpaid pensions refunded and paid to the credit of the Public Account during the year totalled £227 14s. 7d. The following table shows the overpayments recovered in each year since the Act came into operation : — f s . d. Three months ended?3lst March, 1899 .. .. .. .. Nil. Year ended 31st March, 1900 .. .. .. .. ..' 25 15 0 1901 .. .. .. .. .. 63 18 4 . „ 1902 .. .. .. .. 127 1 11 1903 .. .. .. .. ~ 1,039 11 1 1904 .. .. .. .. .. 2,349 14 7 1905 .. .. .. 1,526 10 9 1906 .. . .. .. .. 405 11 0 1907 .. .. .. .. .. 357 16 8 1908 .. .. .. .. .. p!63 0 8 1909 .. .. .. .. .. 227 14 7 Total .. .. .. . .. .. £6,286 14 7 Cost of Administration. The cost of administration during the past year was £9,098 2s. 2d., the details being as follows :— £ s. d. Salaries .. .. ..... .. .. .. 4,251 11 2 Other charges, — Clerical assistance.. .. .. .. .. .. 10 0 0 Contribution to Post Office for paying pensions .. .. 3,990 0 0 Fees for certificates of age, &c. .. .. . . .. 14 16 10 Freight and cartage .. .. . . . . .. 318 5 Interpreters' fees .. .. • .. .. .. .. 28 3 0 Light, firing, and water .. .. .. .. .. 10 14 9 Office-cleaning .. .. '.. .. .. .. 38 18 3 Office requisites .. . . . . .. .. .. 115 5 Payment to E. Abbenseth . . .. .. .. .. 3 10 0 Postage, telegrams, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 507 6 1 Telephones .. .. .. .. .. .. 54 0 0 Travelling-expenses of Commissioner, Stipendiary Magistrates, 75 Registrars, and police constables .. .. .. 157 7 9 Travelling-expenses of pensioners .. .. .. .. 15 0 Contingencies .. .. .. .. .. .. 15 5 6 £9,098 2 2 It will be noted that no less than £4,497 of these charges was paid to the Postal Department, £3,990 as a contribution to pay pensions, and £507 for postages. By deducting this sum from the total, it will be found that the actual cost of administration in salaries, travelling-expenses, and incidentals is reduced to £4,601, being only I*3 per cent, of the total paid away in pensions during the year. The travelling-expenses have, as in former years, been kept at a low figure, the expenditure under this head, embracing the expenses of the Commissioner, Magistrates, Registrars, and the police, being only £157.