PENSION STATISTICS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16506, 25 April 1919, Page 4

PENSION STATISTICS.

A YEAR'S FIGURES. EFIDEMIO INCREASES "WIDOWS' PENSIONS. The Hon. Arthur Myers, Minister of Pensions, has furnished the following interesting returns for tho past financial year in connexion with the five classes of pensions administered bv.the Pensions Department:— PAYMENTS 1918-19. Statutory Allowance under Pensions. Finance Act, 1917. J! £ Old-age ~. 482,453 260,605 Widows' ... 4-1,715 30,058 Maori War .. 39,455 11,033 Miners' .. 30,721 2,555 War ...1,173,607 — 1,750,956 310,251 These figures njake the total pensions as follows:—Old-age £743,063, Widows' £80,773, Maori War £00,488, Miners' £13/276, War £1,173,607, giving a grand total of £2,061,207. Tho • figures represent tho actual payments made in New Zealand. The total relating to war pensions does not includo payments made in Great Britain, Australia, and elsewhere overseas, the returns for which aro not yet complete. CQMPARATIVH TABLE OF PAYMENTS. Gtoss Pensions. 1913-11 1917-18 1918-19 £ £ Old-age ... 416,776 643.177 713,063 Widows' .. '27,077 57,952 80,773 Maori War .. 29,147 50,731 60,458 Miners' nil 13,275 13,376 War nil 515,445 1,173,607 473,300 1,280,583 2,061,207 The total new pensions granted, with deaths, cancellations, and the net increase or decrease during tho year 1918-1919, are as follows: — Now Pensions. Cancellations. Old-age .. 2,223 2,323 Widows' 1,346 327 Maori War 12 124 Miners' ... S2 116 "War i.. 16,054 4,021 20,623 6,914 "Of course, the abnormal increase in the number of widows' pensions is duo to the epidemic," pointed out the "Minister. "The new pensions granted per month under this head had never averaged more than 50 np to November, 1918. the actual new grants for the succeeding four months boing:—December, 1918, 433; January, 1919, 245: February, 1919, 158; March, 1919, 134.