INVALID AND OLD-AGE PENSIONS

353

amount was subject to certain deductions). Tasmania is receiving, in addition, a total sum of 900,000/. in ten annual instalments, starting from 1912-13.

-

1916-17

1917-18

1918-19

1919-20

Revenue :

£

£

Customs

12,373,664

9,480,5^

11,600,539

13,7*.:

Excise

5,821,483

7,869,339

Land Tax .

2.121,952

2,123,779

2,108,689

2,110,306

Probate and Succession

Duties

1,062,168

947,232

916,968

1,441,817

Income Tax

5,621,960

7,385,514

10,376,832

12,848,123

Entertainments .

110,683

245,899

307,907

557,911

War Times Profits Tax

—

680,008

1,206,647

2,569,012

Post, Telegraph, and

Telephones

5,498,517

.190

6,(K'

All other . Total Revenue

t,8M

5,958,413

5,442,063

4,936,048

33,902,434

36,327,347

43,921,926

52,782,748

Commonwealth Expen- diture:

From Revenue .

3,470

28,102,350

37,871,231

50,558,383

From Loans Total Commonwealth Ex-

53,114,237

56,898,556

03,633,000

40,724,S67

penditure

81,357,707

85,000,906

101,504,231

97,283,250

Including :

Expenditure for War

purposes

61,541,566

66,958,360

83,457,567

70,191,322

lovalid and Old Age

Pensions.

8,453,344

3,858,990

3,879,240

4,546,879

Maternity Allowances

062,030

634,428

620,080

625,865

Post, Telegraph, and

Telephones

4,S53,8S6

4,920,251

5,016,137

.5,707,399

Payments to States : Uut of Revenue

6,270,419

6,340,374

,333

6,720,492

Out of Loans

5,186

2,SSl,8S5

3.042.707

—

The estimates for 1920-21 are : revenue, 63,364,700/. : expenditure, 69.112.123Z.

The aggregate public debt of the several Australian States on June 30,

1919, was 382 million pounds (excluding temporary Treasury bills, kc). The Commonwealth public debt on June 30th, 1920, was 381,415,317/.,

including 207,249,440/. owing in respect of internal war loans.

The total Australian war expenditure for the six years ending June 30,

1920, was 381,149,019/., of which 70,716,184/. is charged against revenue, and 310,432,835/. against loans. War expenditure for 1920-21 is estimated at 36,841,931/. out of revenue, and 25,400,000/. out of War Loan.

Invalid and Old Age Pensions.

The Invalid and Old Age Pension Acts provide for the payment of

invalid and old age pensions at such rates as the Commissioner deciding the

question deems sufficient, but so that the amount shall not exceed 32/. 10s. a

year, nor the pensioner's whole income (including the pension) exceed 58/. 10s.

a year (prior to 1916, the amounts were 26/. and 52/. respectively). Old age

pensions are granted upon application to persons who are at least 65 years of

. age and have lived in Australia or Australian territorv at least 20 years.

' Invalid pensions are granted to persons who have lived" at least 5 years in

1 Australia, have there become incapacitated, and have no other sufficient

i means of support. On October 9, 1912, a Maternity Bill was passed providing