H—9

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(6) MINERS' BENEFITS This class of benefit shows a decrease in the number of beneficiaries, there being 718 in force as at 31st March, against 736 for the previous year. During the year 45 new grants were made. The expenditure for the year amounted to £105,416. (7) MAORI WAR BENEFITS There is now only one person receiving this benefit of £lO4 a year. (8) RECIPROCAL AGE AND INVALIDS' BENEFITS Under the Age and Invalids' Benefits (Reciprocity with Australia) Act, 1943, the Social Security Commission is empowered to make grants of age and invalids' benefits to persons living in the Dominion not being qualified to receive these benefits under the Social Security Act, 1938, but who immediately before taking up residence in New Zealand had been resident in Australia. The number of applications received and dealt with for the period Ist April, 1946, to 31st March, 1947, was :

The number of reciprocal benefits in force as at 31st March, 1947, was age, 158 ; invalids, 53 : total, 211. WEEKLY BENEFITS UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS

The following figures show the number of applications for unemployment benefits dealt with during the years ended 31st March, 1946, and 31st March 1947, respectively.

As at 31st March, 1947, there were 35 persons in receipt of unemployment benefit, a decrease of 170 over the figure as at 31st March, 1946. The total expenditure for the year amounted to £24,332, as against £31,661 for the previous year, a decrease of £7,329.

— Age. Invalids. Total. Applications received and those outstanding at the 158 30 188 beginning of the year Applications granted .. 94 15 ! 109 Applications rejected 31 10 41 Applications outstanding as at 31/3/47 33 5 38

1945-46. 1946-47. Males. Females. i Totals. Males. Females. Totals. Persons granted benefit Number of applications declined Number of persons whose applications were declined, but who were granted emergency benefits on grounds of hardship 1,149 402 210 85 746 502 1,234 1,148 712 790 503 313 51 840 503 841 1,343 816 Totals 1,761 1,333 3,094 1,606 1,394 3,000