H.—lB

Session IT. 1923. NEW ZEALAND.

TWENTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PENSIONS DEPARTMENT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1923.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant lo Section 70 of the Pensions Act, 1913.

The Commissioneb or Pensions to the Hon. the Minister of Pensions. Sir, Pensions Department, Wellington, 30th June, 1.923. 1 have, the honour to furnish herewith, for the information of Parliament, the report of the Department relating to war, old-age, widows', Maori War, miners', epidemic, and sundry pensions for the, year ended 31st March, 1923. The following comparative statements relate to the annual value and gross payments of all pensions administered by this Department for the past two years :

Pensions in Force, and Annual Value.

Gross Payments.

At, 31st larch, 1922. At 31st tfareh, 1923. Class of Pension. Number. Annual Value. Number. Annual Value. War Old-age Widows' Maori War Miners' Epidemic Boer War* Sundry pensions and annuities* Civil Service Act, 1908* 29,091 20,491 3,343 740 506 683 £ 1,513,263 751,121 207,029 36,260 31,505 54,994 26,460 21,181 3,411 669 544 569 75 90 88 £ 1,349,857 770,295 195,747 32,781 33,826 43,120 3,173 7,638 22,954 5 446 Totals 54,859 2,594,618 53,087 2,459,391

Class of Pension. 1921-22. 1922-23. War .. Old-age Widows' Maori War Miners' Epidemic Boer War* Sundry pensions and annuities* . . Civil Service Act, 1908* £ 1,726,174 743,620 186,457 37,737 31,2.12 65,486 £ 1,489,392 755,324 188,021 34,004 33,447 52,371 3,058 7,262 26,937 433 Totals 2,791,119 2,589,816 Cost per head of European population £2 4s. 9d. £2 Os. 9d. * Transferred to Pensions Department from 1st April, 1923.