AVERAGE INCOMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 309, 30 December 1940, Page 8

AVERAGE INCOMES.

MALES AND FEMALES. STATISTICIAN'S REVIEW. (0.C.) WELLINGTON, this day. Based on declarations of income made under the Social Security Act, figures compiled by the Government Statistician show that the average income per head of- males in New Zealand for the 12 monlths ended March 31, 1939, was £264, and for females £95. The total number of returns received up (to April 16 ,1940, was 995,134; these comprised 485,674 for males, 462,060 for females, and 7400 cases where no data of any kind had been entered on the questionaire, says the Government Statistician. The number of returns received was substantially less .than should have been furnished, lit is believed, tliat the great majority failing to supply returns had little or no income" apart from salary or wages; in such oases- having jk> further social security tax (or very little) to pay, many did not appreciate, despite considerable publicity given to the requirements, that a return was still necessary.

Of the 462,060 returns for females, 12,390 were incomplete in respect of income, and 228 were cases of duplicate or amending returns, or returns for the wrong year; 427 were cases of loss of income, 206,000 of no income, and 243,015 recorded their incomes. Dealing with the lattej- group only, it is flound that the aggregate income was £23,057,370, an average of £95 a head. Since (the average relates to all females of 16 years and upward, it obviously includes many married women not engaged in industry and with only small incomes derived from Post Office Savings Bank deposits or other investments. Of the 427 oases of loss of income, 312 specified the amount, an aggregate loss of £41.933. If the remaining 115 lost in the same degree, Ithe aggregate of 243,442 females, 16 years of age or over, had a total income of £22,999,981, or £94 a head. Though the degree of comparison is not good since a much larger proportion of males are in gainful occupations, comparative figures for males are given—number, 433,329; aggregate income, £114,274,174; average a head, £204. The inclusion of those without income (males, 18,500; females, 206,000) would reduce the averages ifco—malos, £253; females, £51. In broad divisions and omitting persons with no income, or with net loss of income, the aggregate income of the sexes in the year ended March, 1939, was distributed as follows:— Percentage. Income. Males. Females Under £50- 0.6 7.0 £50- £M . J. 2.9 18.0 t ,y., j. - 5.0 ■ 30.0 .r.a 13.2 - . - - - . 3 8.4 £.30C»Xat> - I BBS 33.3 4.3 i £3SO-C3W 7.« ' 3.3,5 £40»-£4M ■ ■ ■ . 8.3 3.8 • ' ».S • , U,