WAR PENSIONS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23278, 14 August 1945, Page 4

WAR PENSIONS

Annual Value Of £6,340,000 War pensions figure largely in the payments made by the Social Security Department during the last year. The department's annual report for the period ended March 31. which has been presented to Parliament, shows pensions of a total annual value of £2,059.116 in respect of 20,849 persons and 2937 children as being paid in respect of the 1914-18 war. In addition to these, 41.433 pensioners and 5914 children affected by the present war are in receipt of pensions of an annual value of £3,721,680. In addition to statutory war pensions, economic pensions are also paid to ex-members of the forces, widows, and widowed mothers, in certain circumstances. The annual value of these for the present war amounts to £192,093 and for the 1914-18 war £367.021. Medical treatment cf war pensioners during 1944-45 cost £42.946. Under the heading of rehabilitation allowances, which by arrangement with the Rehabilitation Board, are made available to demobilised servicemen and service women for periods up to 13 weeks following cessation of service pay to facilitate reabsorption into civil life, a total of 12,740 cases were reviewed during the year. Grants were made in 4029 cases, including allowances in respect of 2321 children. The large majority of the other applicants, the report states, have already been successful in returning to civilian employment or had otherwise indicated that they did not require assistance. The amount paid out bv wav of rehabilitation allowances from April, 1944. to March. 1945, was £131.733.