Untitled

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 120, 21 May 1920, Page 7

Judged by the number of claims for the maternity allowance granted by the Federal authorities during the ten months which ended on 30th April Jast, the birth rate in several of the States nf Australia, says the Melbourne Age. is beginning to 'improve, although not yet as high as in 1917-18. The maternity claims granted by the Commonwealth during the present financial year total 104,050, as against 102.492 for the corresponding ten months of 1918-19. But fcr the first ten months of the financial year 1917-18 maternity allowances were granted to 104,837 persons. It is interesting to find Unit the number of claims paid in South Australia is the highest for several years. • while the bonuses granted in Victoria, Western Australia, and. Tasmania are all in excess' of the number applied for in the same period of the. last 'financial year. In New Soutb Wnies and Queensland, however, the number of claims for the baby bonus has been .steadily declining for several yea-re, and i= likely to be lower this year fcll&ft at any other period.