428
THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — NEW ZEALAND
Note. — Figures of summary convictions relate to total cases. Convictions and sentences in Supreme Courts relate to distinct persons.
At the end of 1919 the gaols contained 920 prisoners.
Pauperism.
The Dominion is divided into districts, with elective boards tor the administration of the public hospitals and charitable relief. The Government subsidises bequests at the rate of 10s. in the pound ; voluntary contributions, 24s. in the pound ; and contributions by local authorities, according to a sliding scale, ranging from 12s. Zd. in the pound to 24s. 3d. in the pound, according to the value of rateable property within the district. The total expenditure on Charitable Aid during the year ended March 31, 1919, was 136, 177Z. During 1919 the benevolent and orphan asylums accommodated 5,554 inmates, 3,252 children (1,934 boys and 1,318 girls) were wholly or partly maintained by the State in industrial schools and other institutions in 1917.
Old Age and Widows' Pensions.
In 1898 an Act, amended in 1905 and consolidated and amended in 1913, provided for old-age pensions. Every person, not an alien or an Asiatic, who fulfils certain conditions is entitled to a pension of 261. a year. The joint annual income of a married couple in receipt of pensions must not exceed 100Z. (including pensions). An Act of 1917 iucreases the rates of pensions payable during the period of the war and twelve months after. Pensions are also granted to widows, to miners incapacitated as a result of miners' phthisis, and to veterans of the Maori war. In addition are those pensions granted in respect of the recent war.
Class of Pension
Number in force August, 1920
Annual Value
Average pension
Old age ......
Military (Maori war) .... War .
Bpidemic(i.e., influenza epidemic, 1918)
19,888
3,464
880
34,000 438 919
£
735,856
187,056
40,247
1,836,000
24,996
75,358
£ *. </. 37 54 45 14 8 54 37 1 4 83 3 11
Finance.
The following table of revenue is exclusive of sales and rents of land : —
Tear ended March 31
Customs
Stamps, in- cluding Post and Tel eg.
Railways
£
4,028,739 4,484,337 4,836,275 4,668,223
- ,075,445
5,766,016
Land Tax
Income Tax
£
554,271 1,302,110 4,262.126 5,619,561 6,219,336 6,869,765
Total
(including
others)
1914 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920
£ 8,426,744 3,866,171 3,849,675 8,364,303 3,830,681 4,830,324
£
2,479,50S 3,160,224 3,514,693 8,728,270 4,089,584 5,441,690
£
767,451 1,048,356
718.118 1,385,708 1,512,093 1,557,903
£ 11,961,493
14,186,005 18,033,AS9 10,860,884 21,094,886 .25,744,360
