H.—is

6

Several others have duly registered, and await their country's call. Already, to our extreme regret, the great sacrifice has been made by one of these officers, Sapper G. O. Morgan having been killed in action at the Dardanelles, and thereby having his name engraved on the Dominion's roll of honour. The departure of these officers has of necessity placed a strain on the remaining members of the staff, particularly at the Head Office, whom I desire to heaitily thank for their co-operation ill competing with the work, ever an increasing quantity, without any increase of personnel. To the various Registrars throughout the Dominion and those associated with them in pensions work, who are officers of the Justice and Police Departments, I have again to express the Department's appreciation of the careful work performed.. The Department is likewise indebted to the Postal Department for the absence of friction in connection with the payment of pensions, in connection with which there were something like 260,000 transactions during the year. G. 0. Fache, Commissioner of Pensions. —— '

APPENDIX. Table I. Payments in districts —old-age, widows', and military. ~ 11. Pensions at each rate —old-age, widows', and military. ~ 111. Sizes of families of pensioners—widows'. ~ IV. Ages of European pensioners—old-age, widows', and military. „ V. Nationalities of pensioners—old-age and widows'. ~ VI. Sex and conjugal condition of pensioners—old-age. „ VII. Pensions granted, deaths, and cancellations; also number in force and annual variation —old-age, widows', and military. ~ VIII. Payments and annual liability in each year —old-age. „ IX. Ages at death during 1014-15 —old-age. „ X. Number and annual value of pensions in districts —old-age and widows'.

Table I.- Distribution of Payments under each Head throughout the Dominion for Year ended 31st March, 1915.

Postal District. Old-age. Widows'. Military. Auckland Thames Gisborno Napier New Plymouth Wanganui Wellington Nelson Blenheim .. (Jhristchurch Timaru £ s. d. 96,513 11 7 15,066 3 II 3,080 0 1 16,699 1.7 0 7,604 3 10 16,866 13 9 55,935 19 4 !),090 19 3 5,709 1 1 82,679 18 7 19,559 1 3 8,828 5 7 6,721 16 11 13,595 17 0 11,971 12 7 65,139 17 8 25,748 1 6 £ s. d. 6,410 0 8 1,073 II 8 432 16 II 1,159 13 4 672 5 0 1.463 15 0 4,310 17 0 631 I 8 288 10 0 5,381 8 4 1,092 16 8 501 10 0 434 5 0 746 10 0 135 0 0 4,814 6 4 2,070 13 4 £ 16,494 4,144 2,343 5,873 4,937 6,187 4.202 354 162 1,113 I I I s. d. 6 2 6 3 0 0 2 10 4 0 1 3 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Oamaru Westport .. Greymouth Hokitika Dunedin • • Invercai'gill 210 246 252 180 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 666 111 0 0 0 0 Totals 460,814 0 11 31,619 0 11 47,616 6 10