THE ESTIMATES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10168, 24 July 1924, Page 8

THE ESTIMATES.

SOME GENERAL STEMS

WELLINGTON, July 23. The following are some items ot general interest in the Estimates: - ° £ 1 i Destruction of rabbits on native lands 7,500 League of Nations — Expenses of delegates to Geneva ... ••• Proportion of secretarial... Amount to establish a credit for purchase, of wheat (£1,125,000 recoverable) The increased estimate for 1924-25 is due to the necessity for importing approximately 4,000,000 bushels. Compassionate allowances— Widow of late J. E. llson, onA Widow of late Inspector Dew ..... ••• 250 Bonus to assist in reduction of deer herd in certain acclimatisation districts ooJ Expenses in connection with visit of Special Service ; Squadron ••• ••• 11,000 New Zealand Swimming As- I sociation . wu I New Zealand Institute for I research work ... ••• I,UUU Dominion Boy Scouts’ Asso- i ciation (£ for £) ••• I^OG0 1 Dental clinics and travelling I ambulances ••• . Maternity Hospital, Hastings Karitane Harris Hospital, Dunedin ••• . ••• l* soo Karitane Stewart Hospital, Wanganui ... . ‘ oU Karitane Wolfe Hospital, Christchurch .... ••• ' su Subsidy towards salaries of Plunket nurses ... Salvation Army ... A > uw Erection of two 5000-ton oil tanks at Devonport... The sum of £12,000 voted last year was not spent. The Admiralty have advised the provision of a- reserve of 10,000 tons of fuel oil, independent of commercial stocks. Last year s vote was not expended owing to delays m arranging the contract for the provision , of a tank, which has now been ordered. The additional £12,000 is' for the provision of a second tank. The sum of £SOO is provided for land for future naval expansion. It adjoins the present naval property at Devonport, and is required for oil tanks and store sheds. To purchase and freight of guns for local defence vessels ... ••• 11,000 It" is proposed to purchase five 4m guns annually until 50 have been obtained. H.M.S. Dunedin, supply of

oil fuel l,wU H.M.S. Dunedin burns oil fuel only, whereas the Chatham burned mostly coal: Fuel for the Dunedin on the passage out will cost £6OOO. Oiler Nucula ... 16,500 This ship is lent to the New Zealand Government for conveying cargoes of oil fuel to the Dominion and for attending H.M. ships. The figures given are those supplied, by the Admiralty. It is proposed during the present financial year to inaugurate a reserve of officers, and for this purpose £4OOO is to be voted. The main item in connection therewith is £2500 for pay and allowances whilst under training. Purchase of aircraft and spares ... 17.236 Losses on stocks taken over from Labour Department by State Advances ... 17,550 Losses on realisation of securities, fruit preserving industry and cold storage advances 12,294 Subsidy to Maori Ethnological Board 250 Balance to complete six battle exploit memorials ... 11,000 New forest experimental station at Rotorua ... ... 1,500 Waikino tragedy, payments to head teacher and pupils to cover loss of salary, medical and other expenses _ ... ... 500 Rewards for evidence regarding destruction of school^ by .fire 250 Grant to Miss O’Shea, manager Caversbam Indusj trial School, for travel- ; Sing expenses while inquiring into child wel- ' fare systems in America :and Europe ... ... 100 Incited grant for organisa- • tion purposes. Workers’ . Education Association _. 500 Co-operative field experiJ ments, Department of, Agriculture ... . : . l,Uw Additional guarantee on fruit shipments ... ... 3,OUu Grant to Institute of Horticulture Main Highways.—Under this heading an amount of £185,000 is proposed for the improvement, and repair - of main highways, including Lire and purchase of machinery and plant or other equipment, interest sinking fund, and other charges on loans raised, and all other expenses, including administration, supervision, and travelling expenses, and compensation in respect of accidents or injuries, aud contingencies. This is the first appropriation of its kind. The Main Highways Fund has at its credit £249,681 the proceeds of the duty on motor vehicle tvres. In addition, the Main Highways- Fund is to receive £20,000 from the Public Works Fund, and £300.000 from loan money. fi The Con- ; solidated Fund estimates provide for the payment of £35,000 to the Main Highways Revenue Account.

Increased vote to Waimaunga ((Westport) experimental farm to commence dairy operations ... ••• 1,000 Increased vote for salmon „ hatcheries Refund of duty on Flanders poppies s The sum of £250 (partly recoverable) appears on the estimates as a contribution to the Chatham Islands steam€/l* SOI'VIC6. The sum of £413 is provided as a grant to J. D. Ritchie, Land Purchase Controller, on retirement, in lieu of leave of absence.