H.--18

2

The following figures relate to the war and other pensions paid by tin- Department during the year on behalf of other Governments : —

LEGISLATION. Following upon the report of the War Pensions Commission, which investigated the whole question of war pensions in the preceding year, amending legislation was enacted on the. 29th August, 1923, the main features of which were provisions for (I.) The setting-up of an Appeal Board. (2.) The payment of economic pensions. (3.) Clothing-allowances of £8 and £6 per annum to upper- and lower-leg amputees. (4.) Increased attendant's allowance, from £1 to £3 a week. (5.) Increased pension for certain arm and leg amputees. Appeal Board. The members of this Board consist of a Chairman, the first appointee being a Judge of the Supreme Court, and two medical men. one of whom is appointed by the New Zealand .Returned Soldiers' Association. Sittings are held in rotation at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, the Chairman travelling to these centres and adjudicating with medical men residing there. The earlier legislation providing for a purely medical Appeal Board has been repealed. Seven hundred appeals have been lodged to date, of which number 415 have been dealt with as follows :— « Appeals dismissed — Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Attributability . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Not under Act . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 219 Appeals upheld — Assessment .. .. . . . . . . .. . . 127 Attributability . . . . . . . . 30 157 Appeals adjourned . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Appeals withdrawn . . . . . . . . .. . . II Pensions made permanent . . . . . . .. . . 4 415 The distribution of the cases dismissed and upheld in the various districts is shown hereunder :--- Dismissed. Upheld. Wellington .. ... .. .. .. ..23 19 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. ..II 17 Christchurch .. .. .. .. .. ..59 41 Auckland.. .. .. .. .. .. ..126 80 219 157 Economic Pensions.- These consist of three classes, as follows :—- -(1.) A maximum of £1 10s. weekly to disabled soldiers. (2.) A maximum of 10s. weekly to widows of soldiers, with 2s. (id. weekly for each child receiving pension. (3.) A maximum of £1 weekly to widowed mothers of deceased soldiers. In each case the income of the pensioner affects the. grant. Regarding class 1 (i.e., economic pensions to soldiers), these have taken the place of the previously payable supplementary grants of £1 a week payable under section 4 of the 1917 Act, and the 10s. a week granted under the Finance Act, 1920, and are also payable under certain conditions to soldiers whose disablement is of such a nature as to militate against their obtaining or following re muni'rati ye employment. Soldiers pensioned for minor disabilities do not receive economic pensions,

Government. Number at Class of Pension. 31st March, 1921. Annua! VllillHi. Average Pension. Payments, 1923-24. £ 101,858 25,125 24,618 18,746 143 2,859 5,623 56 47 44 218 47 119 244 E Great Britain War .. .. 1,800 Army and civil . . 533 War' .. .. 553 Army and civil .. 86 War" .. Civil .. .. 24 „ .. .. 23 \ 145,793 Australia India South Africa 24,703 29,137 168 3,008 5,991 Crown colonies . . Totals 3,022 £178,972 £208.800