H.—la.

Economic Pensions payable at 31st March, 1927.

Medical treatment of war pensioners during 1926-27 cost £86,311. Railway concessions to war pensioners with disabilities in excess of 50 per cent, cost £2,375 during the year. The loading paid on life-insurance policies of war pensioners due to war service disability amounted to £236 for the year. Temporary war pensions to soldiers decreased by 457, while permanent pensions to soldiers were increased by 452 during the year. The 353 deaths among war pensioners are made up as follows : Soldiers, 131 ; widows of soldiers, 5 ; other dependants, 217.

5

i Average Class. Number. Annual Value. Annual Grant. £ £ Soldiers with permanent pensions . . . . . . 342 23,890 70 Soldiers with temporary pensions .. .. .. 805 54,456 68 Widows with children .. .. .. .. 97 2,763 28 Widows without children .. , . .. . . 28 Si47 34 Widowed mothers .. .. .. .. . . 178 5,159 29 Totals .. .. .. .. 1,450 87,215 60 f

I * I j Old-age. j Widows', j Maori War. Miners'. Blind. Epidemic. Pensions in force at 31st March, 1926 .. 22,905 3,833 444 640 196 313 New pensions granted, 1926-27 .. .. 3,302 705 .. 84 .46 Deaths during 1926-27 .. .. .. 2,049 6 70 51 6 2 Cancellations during 1926-27 .. .. 407 562 .. 5 4 52 Net increase or decrease .. .. .. , +846 +137 —70 .+28 +36 —54 Pensions in force at 31st March, 1927 .. 23,751 3,970 374 668 232 259 Total children in receipt of pension, 31st .. 8,917 March, 1927 Total European pensioners sixty-five years and 19,284 over at 31st March, 1927 Total female European pensioners sixty years 3,014 to sixty-four years at 31st March, 1927 Percentage of European pensioners to total 1-62 European population New claims lodged .. .. .. 4,411 867 116 50 New claims rejected .. .. .. 1,182 166 .. 28 13 Number of children on whose account pension .. 1,725 .. • granted Number of pensioners in receipt of old-age .. .. 91 pension Annual liability at 31st March, 1927 .. £995,353 £305,586 £18,326 £41,951 £11,090 £9,016 Average pension .. .. .. £41 18s. £76 19s. £49 £62 16s. £47 16s. £34 16s. Gross expenditure for year 1926-27 .. £982,356 £301,861 £19,458 £41,940 £10,338 £10,951 Increase or decrease on figures of previous +£78,779 +£15,411 —£3,609 +£1,701 +£2,285 —£3,571 year Cost per head of European population .. 14s. 3d. 4s. 4d. 3'4d. 7 3d. l'8d. l-9d. Credit from national endowment .. .. £37,948 Credit from gold duty .. .. .. .. .. .. £2,482 Refunds paid to Public Account .. .. £2,955 £709 dumber of pensioners in homes and hospitals 1,034 .. 14 2 59 Amount paid to controlling authorities of £49,001 .. £662 £129 £3,017 these Number of pensioners in mental hospitals .. 114 Amount paid to Mental Hospitals Depart- £4,459 ment on account of these Unpaid instalments as at 31st March, 1927 .. £6,583 £2,495 £142 £247 £49 £60 Instalments forfeited and subsequently paid. . £4,575 £2,156 £86 . £161 £145 £47 Average of total family of pensioners .. .. 4-34 .. Average of family under fifteen years .. .. 2-25 Total claims lodged to date .. .. 93,621 12,266 1,889 1,583 328 Total claims established .. .. .. 73,153 10,304 1,697 1,343 252 972 Total claims rejected and outstanding .. 20,468 1,962 192 240 76 Total number of children benefited.. .. .. 25,434 Total deaths .. .. .. .. 39,692 92 1,318 485 15 10 Total guardians appointed .. .. .. 160 Total cancellations ... .. .. 9,707 6,242 5 190 5 703 Grand total paid to date .. .. .. £13,619,766 £2,022,011 £532,675 £301,178 £19,427 £427,518 Total credit from gold duty .. .. .. .. .. £38,214 Total amount paid on account funeral expenses .. .. .. £4,352 Total credit from national endowment .. £504,412 Total European population at 31st March, 1927, 1,373,746.