BIG FIGURES

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 16, 18 July 1918, Page 8

BIG FIGURES

OUR WAR PENSIONS

ANNUAL VALUE, £1,364,143

It will no doubt corao as a surprise to: many people to learn that tho annual value of the New Zealand war pensions now amounts to £1,361,143.

Up to the 31st June tho total number of soldiers' claims lodged was 15,810,. and the total number of claims of dependents of soldiers was 7967 (not including children). Of that number, the claims received during the three months of the current financial year —April, May, and June—were as follow:—April, 1751; May, 1481; and June, 1189.

The new pensions granted .in New Zealand during the same three months ;were as follow :—

This represents an average of £69 per pension. That sum is made up of: Soldiers' permanent pensions, 291, £1789; •widows, 1.10, £13,704 j other dependents", 321, £9804; soldiers, temporary pensions, 2685, annual/ value £197,552; temporary, pensions of dependents of' soldiers,' 351, £19,242; total, 3946, £242/091. -" •- -

Total number of pensions granted since the commencement of the Act, including above claims, 20,613; annual value, £1,364,143. ''..-...■•. .. ..:■:. The total amount paid on,account of,. war pensions last year was £515,383; payments actually made in New Zealand (outside of the amount,.being paid in. Australia and London): April, £82,505; May, £90,462; June (returns incom- , plete),■ £90,000.. This makes a total of £262,967. It is estimated that the amount will , considerably exceed £1,000,000 by the end of the year. In July for the first week 265 claims .■were lodged, and in the second week 269 claims. ' " '■'■'■■■ A COMPARISON. In Australia, with a population about five times that of New .Zealand, the total annual value" "of'the ."war" pensions (as published in a cable meessage recently) was £3,658,853. At the rate of our pensions on a population basis New Zealand would be, paying £6,500,000. The difference is probably mainly explained by the fact that in New Zealand the schedule pension of a totally disabled soldier is £2 per week, whilst in Australia it is '£1 10s a week. The maximum for the widow of . a eoldier .(a private) in New Zealand, is £1 10s a week (that is, without children), and for a widow witlichildren £2 a week. In Australia the' maximum is £1 a week.

• For the year ending .31st~March last, the following amounts were paid~ out-by~ the Pensions Department:—' \

.'■'■•"'"■■■" £ ;' Old-age pensions 643,177 Widows' pensions ...57,952 Maoii War pension's ...."- 50,734 ." ; Miners' pensions ' *13;275' ", War pensions .....,„. '515,447 ■ ■ Total ........... £1,280,585 , ', It is estimated that the expenditure under the above heads . will exceed ( ;'e2.po^gC^bjr^ieiOTd^of ■ this $«£££

No. Annual Value . ' . £' "■"■' April 1297 ,88,432. "' May '... 887 61,435 June 1312 .92,224 :..". Total ......... 3496 £242,091 --