PENSIONS BILL GROWING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13352, 9 April 1914, Page 4

PENSIONS BILL GROWING.

£31,704 INCREASE LAST YEAR-. '.New ZeaJarid'^r pensioners inched' i„ numbers year, and .the footing of 'the 'bfll'# an, additional £31,704, according to the figures lmuefi by the Honir^.TWYß^Hslfer-.; . The increases . have' t %een ' rnamly occasioned by .'th'e.felusloii'of the -age of 60' years'.instead. instead of over 65, as hitherto. , The figures covery t^e period fending'M P arclsl 1914,'butth^y Jnay be subject .to ..ijrlvt modification when further, .; return* ,; corhe m. q • On, March 31 there were on the roll 18.050 old age. pensions, and payments during, thb year haa' n'^bn #416;750^ ah increase of 1541 pensions and, £1001 hiv the- year. Widows in.'repeint.br. pensions .numbered 1548; and iWyme.nts .amounted to £27 068. an increase of 235 pento.oiu'^s and £54954; white" .military, pensions, numbered 1240. and cost £29.431, ''an increase of 672 pensioners and £25,749, last year's payments being for one quarter only. Thus . fheA] total 'niirfiber 'of pensioners waa '20.838. an increase, of 2448 and the total .cost .£473,249. qn advance of ,£31,704. The large, increase io numbers of old 1 age pensioners . and tTJife c^lJarativoly trivial increase m 'the cost ; hais resulted from various causes. Towards the end. of last year some four hundred old | age pensions, were converted into mi li-j . tary pensions, but the consequent increase m old age pensions, did not appear until the yeftr jivst ended.' Moreover, a. number of the -pen.<ioners are women who have become elicible owing to the reduction of the qualifying age, but who have not received pensions. As «. matter of fact, tii.." .vomeh' 'under 65 years of age" on M^rch 31* nuniberiiiG 1200, represent an anniiafcl ' liability of' " £528.000. The annual liability m regard to all pensioners oji . Is -as follows : Old age nensrons, £440,000 ; widow' neiWbns; £29,000 ; military pennon*. £44 ,640; total, £514.140, ■-" " - __'■■:;.■■■ >