H.—1.8

6

Total claims lodged to date .. . . . . . . . . 81,963 Total claims established ~ .. .. 64.097 Total deaths .. .. .... .. .. .. 34,1.69 Total, cancellations . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,460 Grand total paid since 1898 .. ..' .. ~ .. £10,926.880 Total credit from national, endowment .. .. .. .. £391,782 WIDOWS' PENSIONS. European. Maori. Total. Pensions in force at the 31st March, 1923 .. .. .. 3,237 174 .. 3,411 New pensions granted, 1923-24 .. .. .. .. 694 36 730 Cancellations, 1923-24 .. .. .. .. .. 580 35 615 Net increase. . . . . . . . . . .. . . 115 Pensions in force at the 31st March, 1924 .. .. .. 3,351 175 .. 3,526 Total children in receipt of pensions at the 31st March, .1.924 .. .. .. .. 8,036 Year 1923-24. New claims lodged .. . . .. .. .. .. .. .. 720 New claims rejected .. .. . . .. .. ~. ... .. 105 Number of children on whose account pensions granted .. 1,792 Annual liability at close of year .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £209,739 Average pension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £59 10s. Gross expenditure for year .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £202,818 Increase on figures of previous year . . . . . . . . . . £14,797 Cost per head of European population 3s. 2d. Refunds paid to Public Account .. . . . , . . . . . . . . £272 Unpaid instalments as at 31st March, 1924 .. £930 instalments forfeited and subsequently paid .. .. .. .. .. £1,256 Average of total family of pensioners . . . . ... . . . . . . . 3-98 Average of family under fourteen years . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-45 Total, claims lodged to date .. .. .. .. .. 9,867 Total claims established . . .. ' . . . . . . . 8,313 Total number of children benefited .. .. .. .. 20,61.4 Total deaths .. .. .. .. ... .. .. 179 Total guardians appointed .. .. .. .. .. 101 Total cancellations . . ... . . . . . . 4,709 Grand total paid to date .. ~ .. . . .. £1,197,412 MAORI WAR PENSIONS. European. Maori. Total. Pensions in force at the 31st March, 1923 .. .. .. 508 161 669 Deaths during 1923-24 .. .. .. .. .. 69 11) Cancellations, 1923-24 .. .. .. .. .. 1 ...I 8J New pensions granted, 1923- 24 .. . . . . 1 . . 1 Net decrease . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Pensions in force at the 31st March, 1.924 .. .. .. 439 150 .. 589 Year 1923-24. New claims lodged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Number of pensioners previously in receipt of old-age pensions . . . . . . . . 104 Annual liability at close of year .. .. .. .. .. ... .. £28,861 Average pension . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . £49 Gross expenditure for year . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £30,350 Cost per head of European population .. .. .. .. .. .. 6d. Decrease on figures of previous year . . . . . . . . . . . . £3,654 Pensioners in homes and. hospitals . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Amount paid to controlling authorities of these . . . . . . . . . . £1, 497 Unpaid instalments as at 31st March, 1924 .. .. .. .. .'-. .. £146 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid . . . . . . . . . . . . £151. Total claims lodged to date . . . . . . . . . . J ,884 Total claims established .. .. .. .. ~, .. 1,696 Total deaths .. .. .. .. .. .". .. 1,103 Total cancellations . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Grand total paid to date . . . ... . . . . . . £463,302 MINERS' PENSIONS. Total. Pensions in force at the 31st March, 1923 . . . . . . . . . . . . 544 New pensions granted, 1923-24 .. .. .. .. .. .. 88 Deaths during 1923-24 .. .. .. .. .. 48) Cancellations, 1923-24 .. .. .. .. .. .. -4) ,J/ Net increase . . .. . . . . .. . . . . 36 Pensions in force at the 31st March, 1924 .. .. .. .. .. .. 580