H.—lB

5

Summary op Payments. The payments for war pensions show a decrease during the year, the figures compared with those of the previous year being as follows : - 1922-23. 1923-24. £ £ Payments made in New Zealand .. .. .. 1,395,447 1,219,513 I'llyments made in London .. .. .. 60,878 59,064 Payments made in Australia .. ... .. 32,130 33,625 Payments made in Canada .. .. .. ll(i 2,229 Payments made in South Africa .. .. . . 107 397 Oilier foreign payments .. .. .. .. 338 732 Allotments paid after casualty . . .. .. 376 Totals .. .. .. .. .. £1,489,392 £1,315,560 Summary of Total Payments to the 31st March, 1924. £ From Ist September, 1915, to 31st March, 1916 .. .. .. L 3,910 Year 1916-17 . . . . .. . . . . .. . . 180,389 Year 1917-18 . . .. .. .. .. .. 515,445 Year 1918-19 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,199,755 Year 1919-20 . . .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,812,419 Year 1920-21 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,886,952 Year 1921-22 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,726,174 Year 1922-23 .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,489,392 Year 1923-24 . . .. .. .. .. .. 1,315,560 £10,139,996

Pensions payable outside New Zealand as at the 31st March, 1924.

OLD-AGE PENSIONS. European. Maori. Total. Pensions in force at the 31st March, 1923 .. .. .. 20,135 1,046 .. 21,181 Now pensions granted, 1923-24 .. .. .. .. 2,280 269 2,549 Deaths during 1.923-24 . . .. .. .. .. 1,779 911 Cancellations, 1923-24 .. .. .. .. .. 379 13j *>*>* Net increase . . . . . . . . . . . . 287 Pensions in force at the 31st March, 1.924 . . .. .. 20,257 1,211 .. 21,468 Tear 1923-24. Total European population at the 31st March, 1924 .. .. ..« .. 1,293,934 Total European pensioners, sixty-five and over, at the 31st March, 1.924 . . .. 15,158 Female European pensioners, sixty to sixty-four, at the 31st March, 1924 . . 5,099 Percentage of European pensioners to total European population .. .. .. 1-56 New claims lodged .... .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,215 New claims rejected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 636 Annual liability at the 31st March, 1924 .. .. .. .. .. £780,664 Average pension 4 . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . ■ £36 7s. Gross expenditure for year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £767,805 Increase on figures of previous year .. .. .. .. .. .. £12,481 Cost per head of European population .. .. .. .. .. lis. lOd. Credit from national endowment . . . . . . . . . . . . £33,337 Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. .. £2.253 Number of pensioners in homes and hospitals .. . . . . . . 968 Amount paid to controlling authorities of these . . . . . . £38,682 Number of pensioners in mental hospitals . . . . . . .. . . 94 Amount paid to Mental Hospitals Department on account of these .. .. £3,051 Unpaid instalments as at 31st March, 1.924. .. .. .. .. .. £2,752 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid .. .. .. .. .. £3,909

Soli tiers Wiv ' e8 of Soldiers. Depei idants. — Annual Liability. Other Dependants. Permanent. Temporary. Temporary. Widows. Great Britain Australia Oilier countries 1.18 8,3 13 144 12 274 11 25 1 188 72 4 712 57,009 180 33,017 10 2,937 Totals 214 443 24 264 902 92,993 214