OLD-AGE PENSIONS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7870, 4 August 1911, Page 1

OLD-AGE PENSIONS

THE YEAR’S BUSINESS ANNUAL REPORT BY THE COMMISSIONER. INCREASED NUMBERS AND COST. There were, at the end of the last financial year. 10,010 pensioners on the roll of the Old Ago Pensions Department, of whom CB4 wore Maoris. This was an increase of 700 for the twelve months. The new pensions granted totalled 2,399 and the cancellations 1699. The total amount paid out in pensions during tho year was JE353.393. as against £362,496 in 1993-10. This, brings the total amount paid in pensions since the Act came into operation lip to £3,1.50,404. Tho cost of administration was very small and represented just under one per cent, of tho annual payments. AX INCREASED BURDEN.

[ The amendments made to the Act last I session, which came into operation on i January Ist, considerably affected the (fund. They immediately increased the j amount being paid to pensioners then on I the roll by <£ll,B-13 per annum. ■ Of the 15,790 pensioners on the roll when the amending Act vfcis passed, 12,002 were already in receipt of the full pension. Of the remaining 3698 who were being paid less than *£26, all but 396 — namely 3302 —received increases totalling the .£11,813 per annum already referred to. These 396 represent those pensioners whose pensions were reduced on account of income, and wore not affected on© way or the other by the amendment, with the exception of the limited number of some thirty married pensioners'who, with husbands or wives (not on the roll) possessing homes exceeding in value the amount of the allowance, will at the next succeeding renewal of their pensions suffer slight reductions if their positions remain unaltered. The annual increase to

the appropriations for pensions under tho amending Act, in conjunction with tho Act of 1909, is estimated at .£36,000. The Commissioner, in his annual report. says that the percentage of pensioners to population has not increased, which would tend to show that, so far, the effect of the amendments of 1909 and j 1910 have been not so much to introduce a new class of pensioner as to increase tho benefits fc) those who were already eligible. LONO-lAVBB PENSIONERS. . Of the 7187 pensioners who were admitted to the roll in the first three months of the Act, 1629 now only remain. The figures of tho past few years show a do- : cided increase in tho number of those who have dropped out during the past year through death, the percentage of deaths in this section of .pensioners reaching 11 per cent., whereas in each of the preceding three years it was but 12 per cent. These percentages are high, but they are not surprising when it is remembered ’ that the association of this group with the department has extended to r. period of upwards of twelve years. The total deaths of pensioners throughout the year number 1423. The pensioners of advanced age continue to bear a good proportion to the whole number. At tho end of March there were no less than 117 of the age of ninety and upwards, while fourteen were ninety-five and over and there were two centenarians.

Tho number of new claims lodged was 2963 (an increase of seventy-one ‘ on the previous year) and of these 2399 were granted. One hundred and. ninety of last year's new pensioners were previously on the roll, and were struck off for some reason or other.

It is recorded that a large proportion of the applicants, are still unable to furnish any proof of age, and, as indicating tho extent of the assistance rendered to these in proving their eligibility, it is mentioned that in 810 separate cases during the year, out of the 2963 who applied, inquiries were made by head office for proof of age in all quarters of the globe. Of these, 502 were found to he eligible, while no less than 111 were proved to bo short of the pension age. In 116 cases no evidence was obtainable, and the remaining seventy-eight represent cases in which replies are awaited from ontsido f the Dominion. The total revenue from the endowment lands credited to old age pensions was ,£36,901, of which X 16.758 was received last year. , SOME SUBTERFUGE.

Commenting upon the amount of recoveries, tho Commissioner says that the figures go to show that, however careful the administration, may bo in obtaining for tho information of ujagistrates the fullest particulars possible regarding the financial position of applicants, there are loopholes whereby those people who feel that to resort to subterfuge to defraud the State is not altogether dishonourable i can and do defeat the objects of-the Act. The proportion however, is very small.