H.—lB.

Cost of Administration. £ Salaries (including medical officers) . . .. .. .. 34,259 Contribution to Post Office for payment of pensions .. .. .. 13,843 Medical fees .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,872 Travelling-expenses of officers and pensioners .. .. .. 3,522 War Pensions Appeal Board (all expenses) .. .. .. .. 3,054 War Pensions Board (salaries) .. .. .. .. .. 2,550 Postage and telegrams .. .. . . . . .. . . 2,540 Printing, stationery, and advertising .. .. .. . . 2,411 Rent of offices .. . . .. .. .. .. 1,281 Office fittings and requisites and repairs .. .. .. .. 669 Telephones .. . . .. .. .. .. .. 271 Fuel, light, cleaning, and water .. .. .. .. .. 195 Exchange and commission .. .. .. .. . . .. 142 Fees and legal expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 110 Overtime .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 80 Cartage and sundries .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 £70,843 Number of officers on 31st March, 1928, 175. Percentage of cost of administration to total payment (£2,841,314), 2-49. WAR PENSIONS. Total Claims lodged and Annual Value of all Pensions granted to Date.

Summary of Annual Liability at 31st March, 1928.

3

Claims lodged. \ Pensions granted. Soldiers. Dependants. Number. Annual Average Value. Pension. £ £ 1915-16 .. .. .. 798 681 1,214 56,488 46 1916-17 .. .. .. 3,958 2,017 5.316 285,707 53 1917-18 .. .. .. 8,148 3,754 10,587 780,057 73 1918-19 .. .. 14,749 5,292 16,954 1,167,081 68 1919-20 .. .. .. 11,493 3,990 15,183 872,627 57 1920-21 .. .. .. 1,081 1,878 2,207 163,713 66 1921-22 .. .. .. 367 891 945 63,685 67 1922-23 .. .. .. 198 635 625 43,867 70 1923-24 .. .. .. 160 550 551 40,836 74 1924-25 .. .. .. 197 505 432 31,241 72 1925-26 .. .. .. 161 379 353 26,046 74 1926-27 .. .. .. 218 378 350 26,369 75 1927-28 .. .. .. 180 368 330 24,502 74 Totals .. .. 41,708 21,318 55,047 3,582,219 65 Note. —The number of pensions granted as shown herein does not include children's pensions, the value of which, however, form part of the pensions payable to parents (or guardians), and are included in the annual value totals

I Number of Number of , , T7 , Average Class of Pension. Pensioners. Children. ' Annual Value. Penfli 4 £ £ Soldiers (permanent) .. .. .. 8,941 11 437,549 49 Soldiers (temporary) .. .. .. 3,439 16 240,094 70 Dependants of disabled soldiers . .. 902 1,727 76,374 85 Widows (without children) .. .. 650 .. 57,528 89 Widows (with children). . .. .. 719 1,105 110,799 154 Other dependants of deceased soldiers — Parents .. .. .. .. 5,170 9 183,183 35 Other adult dependants .. .. 135 9 4,606 34 Guardians of children .. .. 604 802 21,619 36 Totals, &c. .. .. .. 20,560 3,679 1,131,752 55