5

f1.—16

Year 1917-18. Number of pensioners in homes and hospitals .. . . .. .. 847 Amount paid to controlling authorities of these .. .. .. .. .. £31,283 Number of pensioners in mental hospitals .. .. .. .. .. .. 101 Amount paid to Mental Hospitals Department on account of these .. .. .. £2,856 Absolutely forfeited instalments .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £2,771 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid .. .. .. .. .. £2,813 Total claims lodged to date . . .. . . .. 63,1-72 Total claims established .. .. .. .. 49,538 Total deaths .. .. .. .. .. 23,267 Total cancellations . . . . . . . , . . . . 6,311 Grand total paid since 1898 .. .. .. .. .. £6,4.52,757 Total credit from National Endowment .. .. .. £202,521 WIDOWS' PENSIONS. European. Maori. Total. Pensions in force at 31st March, 1917 .. .. .. 1,981 43 2,024 New pensions granted 1917-18 .. .. .. .. .. 198 11 509 Cancellations during 1917-18 .. .. .. .. 336 5 341 Not increase .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 168 Pensions in force at 31st March, 1918 .. .. .. .. 2,143 49 2,192 Total children in receipt of pensions at 31st March, 1918 .. .. .. .. 5,099 Year 1917-18. New claims lodged .. .. .. .. .. .. . . .. 577 New claims rejected . . .. .. .. .. .. . . . . 72 Annual liability at close of year (statutory pension) .. .. .. .. .. £43,872 Annual liability at close of year (including allowance under Finance Act, 1917) .. .. £73,872 Average pension (statutory) .. .. .. . . .. . . . . £20 Average pension (total) . . .. . . .. .. .. .. .. £33 Gross expenditure for: year (statutory pension) .. .. .. .. £41,986 Gross expenditure for year (including allowance under Finance Act, 19 J 7) . . £57,952 Increase on figures of previous year .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £19,936 Cost per head of European population . . . . . . . . . . .. Is. Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. . . . . . . . . . . £20 Absolutely forfeited instalments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £325 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid . . . . . . . . . . . . £444 Average of total family of pensioner.. .. .. . . . . . . . . 36 Average of family under fourteen . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 2-3 Total claims lodged to date .. .. .. .. .. 4,462 Total claims established .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,701 Total number of children benefited . . .. . . .. .. 9,228 Total deaths .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 53 Total guardians appointed . . .. . . . . . . .. 35 Total cancellations .. .. .. . . .. . . 1 ,491 Grand total paid to date .. .. .. .. .. .. £215,098 Total Number of Children on whose Account Pension granted. Number of Children Pensioners, under Fourteen. 1911-12 .. .. .. .. .. .. 791 1,923 1912-13 .. .. .. .. .. .. 657 1,604 1913-14 .. .. .. ... .. .. 421 1,090 1914-15 .. .. .. .. .. .. 458 1,158 1915-16 .. .. .. .. .. .. 444 1,180 1916-17 .. .. .. .. .. .. 421 1,075 1917-18 .. .. .. .. .. .. 509 1,198 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 3,701 9,228 MILITARY PENSIONS. European. Maori. Total. Pensions in force at 31st March, 1917 .. .. .. ..955 277 1,232 Deaths during 1917-18 .. .. .. .. 83 20 103 New pensions granted 1917-18 .. .. .. .. .. 3 21 24 Net decrease .. .. .. . . .. .. .. .. 79 Pensions in force at 31st March, 1918 .. .. .. ..875 278 1,153