H—9

During the year 9,882 new benefits were granted and 355 applications were declined. The number of benefits in force increased by 3,517, from 65,839 at 31st March, 1949, to 69,356 at 31st March, 1950, and represents 3-62 per cent, of total population. Expenditure on superannuation benefits increased by £329,286, from £1,850,079 for the year ended 31st March, 1949, to £2,179,365 for the year ended 31st March, 1950, MONTHLY BENEFITS AGE-BENEFITS During the year 10,785 new benefits were granted, 774 applications declined, and 109,847 existing benefits renewed for a further year after individual investigation. Included in the new grants were 437 transferred from invalids' benefits and 1,084 from widows' benefits. The number of benefits in force increased by 902, from 116,254 at 31st March, 1949, to 117,156 at 31st March, 1950, and represents 6*12 per cent, of total population. The number of dependent wives not eligible for benefit in their own right but who were included in the husbands' benefits at 31st March, 1950, was 7,861. Included in the beneficiaries at 31st March, 1950, were 492 men receiving the additional allowance of £l3 13s. a year paid to veterans of the South African War. Expenditure on age-benefits increased from £13,790,791 for the year ended 31st March, 1949, to £15,133,751 for the year ended 31st March, 1950, an increase of £1,342,960.

Table 1—Age-benefits: Estimated Age Distribution of People Granted Benefit During the Year Ended 31st March, 1950 (Excluding Transfers from Widows' and Invalids' Benefits)

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(Estimate based on an analysis of 45 per cent, of benefits granted) Men. Women. Total. Age. | n i, J o3 I a 0 1 f Previously Included in Husband's Benefit. 1 If .2 S c o 11 1 o % e6 (3 Total Total Pi 13 1=4 ? f§ Total 60 985 985 803 1,066 2 1,871 1,788 2 2,856 61 373 20 393 412 154 9 575 785 29 968 62 287 20 307 323 89 18 430 610 38 737 63 265 36 301 278 47 31 356 543 67 657 64 298 44 342 207 4 29 240 505 73 582 60-64 2,208 120 2,328 2,023 1,360 89 3,472 4,231 209 5,800 65 249 24 273 169 4 36 209 418 60 482 66 191 31 222 155 4 36 195 346 67 417 67 217 44 261 105 48 153 322 92 414 68 161 53 214 91 27 118 252 80 332 69 138 31 169 114 4 44 162 252 75 t 331 65-69 956 183 1,139 634 12 191 837 1,590 374 1,976 70-74 .. 381 151 532 305 2 118 425 686 269 957 75-79 .. 138 42 180 122 46 168 260 88 348 80-84 .. 56 . 20 76 46 22 68 102 42 144 85 and over 9 2 11 24 4 28 33 6 39 Sub-total, 70 and over 584 215 799 497 2 190 689 1,081 405 1,488 Total 3,748 518 4,266 3,154 1,374 470 4,998 6,902 988 9,264