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The instalments not collected within the time allowed by law, but subsequently specially authorized and paid during the year, numbered 93, the amount involved being £279. The amount paid for the maintenance of military pensioners to the controlling authorities of the various homes and hospitals during the year was £1,708, including £135 for hospital patients. The number of pensioners in these institutions at the close of the year was 49, including 4 in hospitals. Cost of Administration. The total cost under this head for the year was £9,880, being less by £1,711 than the amount paid in the preceding year, which, however, included a special payment of £1,849. The details are as follows :— . £ Salaries .. .. ~ .. .. .. .. .. 5,112 Contribution to Post Office for paying pensions .. .. .. 3,000 Postage and telegrams .. .. .. .. .. .. 664 Printing and stationery .. .. .. .. .. .. 687 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 209 Telephones . . . . .. .. . . . . . . 79 Office requisites .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 Office cleaning .. .. .. .. . • .. .. 13 Light and firing • ■ ■ • • • • ■ • • • • • • 12 Fees for certificates of age .. .. .. .. .. .. 6 Contingencies .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 51 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. .. £9,880 The percentage of this cost to the gross amount paid in pensions during the year is 1-82 per cent. The gross cost of administering the Department since its creation in J 898 now amounts to £82,295. This is 1-64 per cent, of the gross amount paid to date under the three heads, totalling £5,013,528, as follows :— £ Old-age pensions .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,850,011 Widows' pensions . . .. . . . . .. .. 82,773 Military .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 80,744 Total .. .. .. .. .. .. £5,013,528 Pensions in Australia and the United Kingdom. The latest figures available relating to the working of the Commonwealth Act are for the year ended 30th June, .1914, from which the following have been extracted : — Old-age Pensions. Invalid Pensions. Number of pensions in force.. .. -.. .. 87,780 16,865 Increase for year .. .. .. .. .. 4,837 3,126 Claims dealt with .. .. .. .. .. 15,144 6,540 Claims rejected .. .. .. .. .. 1,464 1,222 Claims established .. .. .. .. .. 12,967 4,935 Total pensions granted .. .. .. .. 123,141 21,631 Total claims rejected .. .. .. .. 10,910 4,934 Total deaths of pensioners .. .. .. • .. 30,882 3,796 Liability .. .. .. .. .. ..£2,212,392 £430,456 £ Payments for year (old-age and invalid) .. .. .. .. 2,593,501 Cost of administration (old-age and invalid) .. .. .. 46,946 The latest figures received from the Old Country indicate that on the 28th March, 1913, the number of pensions in force there was as follows :— Men. Women. Total. England .. .. .. ..229,644 397,109 626,753 Wales .. .. .. .. 15,774 26,119 41,893 Scotland and Ireland .. .. 118,393 180,882 299,275 Total for United Kingdom .. 363,811 604,110 967,921 The estimates presented to the House of Commons in March, 1914, provided a vote of £13,141,000 for old-age pensions. General. I do not deem this report complete without reference to the great war in which the Empire is involved. lam proud to think that the stall' of the Department, limited as it is to twenty-nine members, has provided its quota to the Expeditionary Forces, in the persons of— B. E. Murphy (Samoan Force) .. .. .. From Wellington office. G. O. Morgan (Main Expeditionary Force) .. .. ~ Christehurch office. A. H. Parfitt (Third Reinforcements) .. .. „ Invercargill office. A. W. Robertson (Sixth Reinforcements) .. .. „ Head Office. E. W. Fulton (No. 2 Base Hospital) .. .. .. „ Wellington office.