Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/856

 804 DENMARK

(founded 1754) with 22 teachers and about 300 pupils ; a Polytechnic Institu- tion (founded 1829) with 98 professors and teachers and about 1,000 students. The folkehojskoler are all private, but to them and the agri- cultural schools the State annually makes a grant of about 706,000 kroner. To the grammar and Mellemskoler grants are made amounting annually to about 4,000,000 kroner. The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, has 5 faculties, to all of which women are admitted on equal terms with men. It has about 100 professors and teachers, and about 3,200 students.

Pauperism and Old Age Pensions.

Ordinary poor relief is regulated by the law of April 9, 1891 (and its amendments) under which in 1917-18, 81,097 (2*7 per cent, of the popula- tion) were relieved at a cost cf 24 million kroner.

Another law of 1891 concerning Old Age Pensions has been extended by enactments of 1902 and 1908 so as to provide for, and to regulate assis- tance granted to the aged poor. Recipients must be over 60 years of age, of good character, and must have, for the preceding 5 years, had their domicile in the country without receiving public charity. The assistance granted may be in money, or in kind, or by abode in a hospital. It must be sufficient for maintenance and for medical attendance in case of illness. The estimate of the poverty of the recipient does not include private assistance unless amounting to over 100 kroner (about 51. 13*.) a year. The subvention is paid by the commune of domicile and half of it is refunded by the State. For the year ending March 31, 1919, 92,731 persons were relieved, of whom 70,604 were principals and 20,127 dependants. The total expenditure was 33,711,000 kroner, of which one half was expended by the State.

According to a law of 1913 assistance without the loss of civil rights is granted to children living with their widowed-mothers. The expenditure (divided between the municipalities and the State) amounted in 1918-19 to 1,893,000 kroner.

Justice and Crime.

The lowest courts of justice in Denmark are those of the hundred or dis- trict magistrates (herredsfogder and birkedommere) and town judges {byfogder). From these courts an appeal lies to the superior court (Overret), or court of second instance ( Vestre Landsret), in Viborg with 12 judges, and Ostre Landsret in Copenhagen with 17 judges. The supreme court (Hbjesttrtt) or court of final appeal, with a chief justice, and 12 puisne judges, sits in Copenhagen. Judges under 65 years of age can be removed only by judicial sentence.

In 1917, 4,143 men and 600 women were convicted of crimes and delicts ; 44,718 persona were couvicted of minor offences. On March 31, 1918, 1,065 men and 67 women were in the penitentiaries of Denmark.

Finance.

By the terms of the Constitution of Denmark the annual financial budget called the ' Finanslovforslag,' must be laid on the table of the Folketing at the beginning of each session. As to the annual financial accounts called 'Statsregnskab,' the Constitutional Charter prescribes them to be examined by four paid revisers, two of whom are elected by the Folketing and two by thu l.andsting. Their report is submitted to both Chambers which, after duo consideration, pass their resolution generally to the effect that thoy have no remarks to make on the balance-sheet.