H—9

WIDOWS' BENEFITS Widows' benefits are payable to widows, to wives of mental patients, and to wives who have been deserted by their husbands and who have taken proceedings for maintenance orders under the Destitute Persons Act, 1910. The Department has continued its policy of taking immediate steps to assist women whose husbands have just died. During the year, 1,883 new benefits were granted, 501 applications declined, and 12,387 existing benefits renewed for a further year. The number of benefits in force decreased from 14,883 at 31st March, 1949, to 14,198 at 31st March, 1950, a decrease of 685.

Table 5—Widows' Benefits: Classification of Benefits in Force at 31st March, 1950

Beneficiaries with children receive mothers' allowance up to £7B a year. Expenditure for all widows' benefits amounted to £2,159,914 for the year ended 31st March, 1950, compared with £1,911,134 for the previous year, an increase of £248,780. Expenditure for the year included £194,421 in respect of women deserted by their husbands. On the granting of a widow's benefit to a deserted wife the Department undertakes the enforcement of the maintenance order. At the 31st March, 1950, there were 1,104 maintenance orders in operation against defaulting husbands, representing an annual amount of £132,012. During the year, £65,010 was collected by way of maintenance, representing 49 per cent, of the amount of the orders in force and 33 per cent, of the expenditure on benefits for deserted wives. ORPHANS' BENEFITS During the year 66 new benefits were granted, 16 applications declined, and 294 benefits renewed for a further year. The number of benefits in force decreased from 371 (in respect of 518 children) at 31st March, 1949, to 366 (in respect of 484 children) at 31st March, 1950. Among the children in respect of whom benefit was being paid at 31st March, 1950, were 36 school-children over the age of sixteen years. Expenditure increased from £27,623 for the year ended 31st March, 1949, to £31,176 for the year ended 31st March, 1950, an increase of £3,553. FAMILY BENEFITS During the year 19,876 new benefits were granted and 121 applications declined. The number of benefits in force increased from 248,726 in respect of 548,330 children at 31st March, 1949, to 254,920 in respect of 567,587 children at 31st March, 1950. At the end of the year benefits were being paid in respect of 8,592 school-children over the age of sixteen years and 99 incapacitated children over the age of sixteen years. Expenditure increased from £14,242,202 for the year ended 31st March, 1949, to £14,850,959 for the year ended 31st March, 1950, an increase of £608,757.

7

With "Without —— Dependent Dependent Total. Children. Children. Widows 3,948 8,996 12,944 Deserted wives 772 346 1,118 Mental hospital 90 46 136 Total 4,810 9,388 14,198