WAR PENSIONS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2873, 11 September 1916, Page 6

WAR PENSIONS

BOARD'S WORK FOR A WEEK A SUMMARY TO DATE The War Pensions Board held five sittings last week, during which it dealt with 329 cases.. Of these 241, were new claims, 82 had to do with tho continuation of temporary pensions, and six were miscellaneous applications in regard to other pensions.- • On another hasis of classification, 282 claims were on behalf of soldiers, and 47 on behalf of dependants. The findings of the board were as follow: — Soldiers' Claims.—Thirty-fiwo pensions were granted, of which the total annual value was £1625; 161 temporary pensions were granted, total annual value. £8,034; 15 applications were declined, two wore adjourned; 50 temporary pensions were extended, and in twelve of those cases the applicants were notified that there would bo no furtticr extensions; 19 temporary pensions were discontinued;' one pension was increased from. 15s. to 20s. per week; one application for an increase was refused, and one soldier formerly classed as partially disabled, but now considered' to be totally disabled, has had Ms pension increased from £26 to £91 per year. Dependants' , Claims.—Twenty-nine pensions were granted (eight were to widows, total annual value. £923; 21 to parents, annual value, £728); nine temporary ■ pensions were granted, annual value £442; two applications were declined: two temporary pensions were oxtended; one widow had her pension increased by 7s. _6d. a week in consideration of a child having been born; one mother had her pension increased from £26 to £52 per year; one mothers pension was increased from £26 to £39; a father's pension was increased from £26 to £39, and an application by a mother for an increased pension was declined. The total annual value of pensions and increases granted during the week was £13,700. Up to date the board has awarded to soldiers 739 pensions, of an annual value of £40,394; average rate of penI sion, £54 a year. To wives of disabled soldiers and widows of soldiers killed, 206 pensions have been granted, of an annual value of £20,097; average pension, £97. To other dependants, 742 pensions have been granted; total annual value, £22,142;' average pension, £29; a total of 1687 pensions, of an annual value of £82,633. Add to these 2061 temporary pensions granted, of an annual value of £101,400, and it appears that tho total number of persons drawing pensions is 3748 ;•_ that, the annual charge on the State is £184,000, and that the average pension is £49.

' The board lias, since it has been set up, dealt with 4273 cases. Last week was an unusually busy period, because tho board had been absent from Wellington on tour, and there was an accumulation of claims awaiting attention on its return. During the week 115 claims from soldiers and 26 from dependants were received, and these will be dealt with by the board this week.