Te tokoora whānui, pakeke hoki
General and adult welfare
Many records in this research guide are restricted access, which means you need to get permission to view them. This is because they deal with individuals and their personal lives. Some records are not listed on Collections search for this reason. In these cases they are listed with an asterisk (*).
To learn more about a restricted record, go to the item page in Collections search. This will tell you why the record is restricted, and who you need to contact to get permission to access it.
To issue you with a restricted record, we need to see written permission from the agency responsible for the restriction.
Find records in Collections search
The government was much less concerned with adult welfare than child welfare. Churches provided most 19th century charitable aid, but Hospital Boards, through Charitable Aid Boards, also assisted the destitute.
Governmental measures for adult welfare began in the late 19th century. There were fears that poverty would lead to criminal activity and a concern that children would not be brought up properly if their parent, often an abandoned wife, was destitute. Some older people also suffered from illness and destitution.
Charitable aid
Charitable aid was administered by both Charitable Aid Boards and by Hospital Boards. For that reason, records that relate to charitable aid are often found under hospital series in Collections search.
A few Benevolent Society records are listed.
Some 19th century cases are listed individually on Collections search, mainly in the form of letters about the cases. The main charitable aid records that might mention individuals are Minute Books, but many are not indexed.
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Auckland
Names in many of the following records are indexed. See the Hospitals card index available in our Auckland Reading Room.
Auckland
Registers of Applications for Relief 1888-1907 [indexed] [YCAB 15245/1a-1b]
Registers of Application for Relief - A sequence 1908-1929 [indexed] [YCAB 152476/1a-2a]
Registers of Application for Relief B sequence 1929-1931 [indexed] [YCAB 15247/1a-2a]
Register of Application for Relief - C sequence 1931-1938 [indexed] [YCAB 15248/1a-3a]
Charitable Aid / Relief Committee / Social Welfare Committee minutes 1885-1975 [1927-1931 indexed] [YCAB 13034/1a-11a]
Thames
Thames and Coromandel United Charitable Aid Board register 1908 [indexed] [YCAH 20217 A431/77]
Waihi
Charitable Aid Relief Given 1926-1935 [indexed] [ZABW 14331 A1157/1a]
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Wellington
Ohiro Benevolent Home 1945-1975 [ABRR 6896 W4595]
Find other records by searching for keywords like "Charity Aid" or "Hospital Aid" in Collections search.
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Dunedin
Otago Benevolent Institution
Inmates Books 1887-1950 [DAHI 19809 D281/1, D289/16, D284/49, 189]
Register of Outdoor Relief 1893-1911 [DAHI 20407 D284/45]
Outdoor Relief Casebooks 1889-1911 [DAHI 20403 D284/36-44] Digital versions available
Otago Hospital
Maintenance Cash Books 1911-1928 [DAHI 20476 D284/235-240]
Maintenance Journals 1931-1946 [DAHI 20461 D284/212-213]
Seacliff Hospital
Maintenance Outward Letterbooks 1903-1914 [DAHI 20233 D264/21a-23b]
United Districts Charitable Aid Board
Maintenance Ledger 1905-1907 [DAHI 20433 D284/54]
Dunstan District Hospital
Maintenance Register 1897-1926 [DAHI D369/30b]
Cromwell District Hospital
Maintenance Register 1894-1926 [DAHI D369/35b]
Destitute, aged and infirm
We have a few record books and files relating to Destitution and the Aged and Infirm.
A few cases can be found by surname searches in Collections search – first names are not usually included.
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Auckland
Education Dept – Northern Regional Office
Destitute Childrens Home Record Books 1870-1882 [indexed] [BAAA 1954/1-2]
Auckland
Costley Home Minute Books [indexed] 1890-1933 [YCAB 15251/1a-3a]
Rotorua
Destitute Persons Registers 1912-1969 [BAZY 10992/1a-16a]
Tokoroa
Destitute Persons Registers (Guard Books) 1963-1969 [BBQU 15065/1a-1b]
Thames
Inmates of the Tararu District Home 1906-1985 [indexed 1906-1921] [YCAH 14073/1a-3a]
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Wellington
Napier
Orders (including some Maintenance & Industrial Schools) 1890-1928 [AAOW W3244/267-271]
Index – Destitute Persons & Industrial School Orders 1916 [AAOW W3244/272]
Palmerston North
Orders 1908-1945 [AAOY W3298/777-779 pt. 1-13]
Pahīatua
Orders 1945-1969 [AAOY W3298/783]
Wellington
Registers – Destitute Persons Act (Maintenance Guard Books) 1891-1949 [ADEE 16358 JC-W 6/1/6-43/52]
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Christchurch
See also, records relating to the following institutions: Armagh Street Depot, Female Refuge/Essex Maternity Hospital, Hokitika Old People’s Home, Queen’s Jubilee Memorial Home, Tasman Old People’s Home, Timaru Old Men’s/Benevolent Home, Tuarangi Old Men’s Home Ashburton.
Provincial Period
Inwards Correspondence to the Provincial Secretary 1853-1877 [CAAR 19936]
Court Material
Christchurch Supreme Court Aged and Infirm Persons Protection Act Files 1921-1968 [CAHX 20492]
Timaru High Court Aged and Infirm Persons Protection Act Files (High Court, Timaru) 1982-1986 [CAHY 3158]
Christchurch Magistrate’s Court Destitute Persons Criminal Record Books 1937-1953 [CAHX 20320]
Christchurch Magistrate’s Court Indexes to Destitute Persons Criminal Record Books 1937-1953 [CAHX 20321]
Kaiapoi Magistrate’s Court Destitute Persons Act Orders 1892-1926 [CAHP 2221]
Timaru Magistrate’s Court Destitute Persons and Industrial Schools Acts Orders 1918-1926 [CAHY 18039]
Waimate Magistrate’s Court Miscellaneous Orders [includes Destitute Persons Act] 1902-1930 [CAHY 18038]
Hospital Boards
Register of Outdoor Relief for Destitute Children 1885 [CATV CH384, 5/3, 2]
Pensions and benefits
We hold very few pension and benefit records. Those we do have are far from complete and Access may be restricted.
Old Age Pension Registers & Minute/Letter Books 1898-c1920 may give some information about early beneficiaries. There are also some records of War and Widows Pensions and of various benefits, such as: Invalids, Unemployment and Sickness, Orphans, War Veterans, Family Benefit/Allowance.
Published Lists: Pensions − Civil Service
Nominal Rolls, giving details of Civil Service pensions paid, appeared in some 19th century AJHR (Appendices to the Journal of the House of Representatives). These can be found online. Details may include: name, date pension was granted, annual amount, position held and length of service.
1866 D-3 (p74) 1882 B-23
1873 I-11888 B-18
1878 H-16 1896 H-26
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Auckland
Auckland
Judge’s Notebook Old Age Pension Court 1899 [BADW 10496/1a
Old Age Pensions Book 1901-1903 [BADW 10511/1]
Coromandel
Claims 1897 [BACL 14481/1a]
Claims Applications 1897 [BACL 14482/1a]
Claims Register 1899-1903 [ZAAN 14137/1a]
Letterbook, Deputy Registrar of Old Age Pensions 1899-1907 [ZAAN 14138/1a]
Dargaville
Old Age Pensions Minute Book 1898-1903 [BADC 10789/1a]
Registers of Old Age Pension Claims 1898-1917 [BADC 10792/1a-1b]
Old Age Pension Claims sent to the Registrar 1902-1910 [BADC 10793/1a-1b]
Helensville
Old Age Pensions 1903-1904 [BADW 10511/1a]
Kaikohe
Business in Chambers Old Age Pension 1905-1906 [BADE 10730 A767/2a]
Paeroa
Old Age Pensions Minute Book 1899-1906 [ZAAP 13788/1a]
Te Aroha Wardens Court
Old Age Pension Claim Register 1899-1909 [BBAV 11503/1a]
Thames
Old Age Pensions Instalment Books 1910-1939 [YCAH A431/44 & 56]
Warkworth
Old Age Pension Claim Register 1896 [BACN 10646/1a]
Social Welfare Department – Auckland
Overseas Pension Benefit Application Register 1968-1987 [BCCS 4251/1a-2a]
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Wellington
[Pensions Department] Registered Files [Record Group] 1898-1939 [ADBO 16143 SSW1844]
Income Support Service - Registers and Misc [Lower Hutt, Palmerston North, Tauranga, Christchurch]. Pensions Department - Maori War Pension National Index. Social Security Department - Report into Records Section 1967 Unknown-1994 [AADK W45212]
Pension Account Register 1934-1956 [ABTW 7055 W4656/1]
Miscellaneous Registers 1930-1992 [AADK 7918 W4883]
Family Benefit Application Registers, Applications For Benefits (Age/Invalids/Widows), War Veterans Registers, Superannuation Registers And Family Ledgers 1926-1991 [W4522]
Registers of Applications for Various Benefits 1938-1991 [W4461]
Superannuation Registers (various) 1979-1983, 1973-1992 [AADK W4752 pt. 1-6]
Social Security Department – War Pensions
Card Index 1912-1985 [ABNU 6825/1-94]
Card Index (Maori) [ABNU 6826/1-4]
May include: address, next of kin, birth date, benefit.
War Pensions Board - Numbered Schedules and Minutes 1915-1976 [AADK W3451]
Chairman’s Notes No. 2 [War Pensions] Board [Record Group] 1947-1952 [ABDO 24677 W5888]
Minutes of Decisions of War Pensions Appeal Board [Record Group] 1922-1944 [ADBO 16137 W5888]
Minutes of Decisions of War Pensions Appeal Board [Record Group] 1944-1948 [ADBO 24622 W5888]
Minutes of Decisions of War Pensions Appeal Board [Record Group] 1948-1953 [ADBO 24623 W5888]
Minutes of Decisions of War Pensions Appeal Board [Record Group] 1953-1962 [ADBO 24625 W5888]
Schedules of List of Decisions Given In Regard To War Veteran's Allowances [Record Group] 1958-1962 [ADBO 24632 W5888]
War Pensions Appeal Board Miscellaneous Correspondence [Record Group] 1962-1962 [ADBO 24686 W5888/15 15h]
Imperial Pensions
Treasury Department Registers 1865-1891 [ADRK 17399 T 9/1-7]
These large volumes record the pensions paid to British soldiers who took retirement in New Zealand including Fencibles and some retired police & civil servants. There may be details of physical description and service. The original book is missing, so those who died before 1865 are not recorded. Personal details for men whose pensions started before 1865 and continued after that date were not usually transferred to later books.
Nelson
Benefit Registers 1939-1990 [ABRD 7673 W4527]
New Plymouth
Old Age Pensions Outward Letterbooks 1901-1908 (Taranaki district) [AADK 7892 W4883/5]
Old Age Applications Register 1902-1909 [AADK 7917 W4883/23]
Widows Pension Registers 1912-1917 & 1912-1926 [AADK 7917 W4883/1]
Old Age Pension Registers 1899-1926 (Taranaki district) [AADK 7917 W4883/24-27]
New Plymouth Pension Claims Register 1912-1926 [AADK 7917 W4883/22 pt. 3]
Stratford Pension Claims Register 1898-1926 [AADK 7917 W4883/22]
Hawera Pension Claims Registers 1898-1907 & 1899-1906 [AADK 7917 W4883/22]
Names of Old Age Pensioners in New Plymouth District Index 1920 [AADK 7917 W4883/7]
New Plymouth and Whānganui
Old Age Pension Outward Letterbooks 1901-1910 [AADK 7489 W4883]
Benefit and Pension Registers 1898-1987 [AADK 7916 W4883]
Old Age Pensions- Letterbooks 1901-1910 [AADK 7489 W4883]
Benefit and Pension Registers 1898-1926 [AADK 7917 W4883]
Stratford & Eltham
Widows Pensions 1912-1921 [ABIB 26784 W4228/129]
Minute Book Stratford Old Age Pension District 1899-1904 [ABIB 26782 W4228/127]
Whānganui
Old Age Pension Registers 1899-1902 [AADK 7916 W4883/6-7]
Widows Pensions 1912-1926 [AADK 7916 W4883/1]
Application Register – Widows [AADK 7916 W4883/1]
Family Benefit & other records 1928-1982 [AADK 7916 W4883/2-4]
Weekly Benefits – Applications Registers 1945-1985 [AADK 7916 W4883/19-21, W4309/1/SW172 pt. 1-2]
Accommodation and Special Benefit Register 1984-1986 [AADK 7916 W4309/1 SW173]
War Veterans (various records) 1951-1985 [AADK 7916 W4883/2 & 18]
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Christchurch
Department of Social Welfare, Christchurch
War Pensions Miscellaneous Registers 1946-1988 [CAVP CH485/1-10]
Tīmaru Magistrate’s Court
Registrar of Old Age Pensions Outwards Letterbooks 1914-1916 [CAHY CH24/185-186]
Waimate Magistrate’s Court
Registrar of Old Age Pensions Outwards Letterbook 1899-1904 [CAHY CH24/515]
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Dunedin
Balclutha, Kaitangata, Ōwaka, Tapanui
Old Age Pensions Court Book 1910-1916 [DACM 20736 D443/31c]
Old Age Pensions Rents Record Book 1903-1913 [DAEQ 21541 D574/16c]
Old Age Pensions Inwards Correspondence 1910-1911 [DAEQ 21549 D574/20c]
Old Age Pensions Outwards Letterbooks 1899-1910 [DAEQ 21548 D574/19b-20b] [with Alexandra] Old Age Pensions Investigation Book 1899-1901 [DAEQ 21547 D574/19a]
Old Age Pensions Letterbooks 1902-1916 [AAJH 21283 D560/35a-b]
Otago Hospital Board
Old Age Pensioners’ Refund Accounts Ledgers 1914-1922, 1928-1937 [DAHI 20468 D284/216a-b]
Outram
Record of Awards of Old Age Pensions 1909-1916 [DAAC 21190 D437/808]
Palmerston
Old Age Pensions Certificate Register 1897 [DAAC D256/1040]
Queenstown
Schedules of Pensioners 1906 [AEPG 26631 D608/31 81-83]
Old Age Pensions Outward Letterbooks 1898-1917 [AEPG 20958 D554/31a-32b]
Pension Certificate Butts 1899-1901 [AEPG 25976 D568/99r-v]
Pension Renewal Certificate Butts 1900-1902 [AEPG 25977 D568/99w-y]
Roxburgh
Old Age Pension Minute Book 1900-1902 [AENY 20800 D558/1a]
Protection
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Wellington
Registers of Protection Orders 1879-1891 [ADEE 16360 JC-W 8/1/1-5/5]
Child Welfare Act 1935-1952 [ADEE 16360 JC-W8/6/9-7/10]
Youth Justice/Care and Protection Index Cards c.1960-c.1980 [ACKB 24671]*
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Dunedin
Dunedin
Register of Protection Orders 1877-1883 [DAAC 20897 D437/439]
Queenstown
Protection Orders 1876-1882 [AEPG 26610 D608/31 56-57]
Unemployment
Holdings about unemployment mostly relate to policy, administration and statistics. Few are about people on relief or the unemployment benefit.
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Wellington
Department of Social Welfare
Unemployment Benefit Registers (various) 1979-1983, 1973-1992 [AADK W4752 pt. 1-6]
Masterton
Applications Register (including unemployment) 1940-1962 [AAZX W3575/1]
New Plymouth
Unemployment (& sickness) Application Registers 1939-1963 [AADK 7916 W4883/4]
Palmerston North
Applications Register 1939-1947 [AAYB W4522/16]
Miscellaneous Registers 1930-1992 [AADK 7918 W4883]
Family Benefit Application Registers, Applications For Benefits (Age/Invalids/Widows), War Veterans Registers, Superannuation Registers And Family Ledgers 1926-1991 [W4522]
Registers of Applications for Various Benefits 1938-1991 [W4461]
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Christchurch
Unemployment Benefit Registers (also Sickness, Domestic Purposes, Family Aid) 1939-1988 [CAVP CH454]