THE BUDGET.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 187, 7 August 1913, Page 7

THE BUDGET.

SURPLUS, £709,508.

LOAN OF £1,750,000.

SESSIONAL PROGRAMME.

PRIVATELY BUILT RAILWAYS, A NSV7 LAND Bll.li. AEBITKATION AMENDMENT. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON. Wednesday. The FinanciaJ Statement -.vac presented to the House of Representatives to-night bT the Minister for Finance (Hon. James Allen).

The Minister said lip wae pleased to be able to announce thnt the revenue for the yew exceeded ike estimate by £755,615. Tlie actual revenue exceeded the estimate in all departments except registration and other fees and miscellaneous. It is alto fiaxisfaexory to note that the actual revenue for 1912-13 exceeded that for 1011-12 by £701.475. The figures are: — Kevenne for 1912-1S £11.734.022 Eevenne for 1911-12 11,032.544 Excess 1912-13 over 1911-12.. 701,47S The expenditure -was £11.052,038, being !£M6,9G6 lees than th-e estimate, but £741.670 more than the actual expenditure for the previous year. Thtvre was a decrease of £12:).107 in the expenditure of tie Department of Tniernal Affairs. The following are the results of the year's operation?.- — Balance brought forward. April 1 IM2 ' 5507.270 Excess of receipts over expenditure 652.232 Iransfer to Public Works Bund... '700,000 Balance, March 81, 1013 £709,508 The position of the Public Works Fund was shofiTi a≤ follows: Balance from last year -.sn Eeeeipts " £ L " Loan money 2,505.002 Transfer from revenue 750,000 Otter receipts 110.060 — 3.374,97 3 457 55 Eqienditure— Ender appropriations. . 2,378,r>39 Other charges 1.271 Debentnres redeemed 101,000 Kepayment of advance obtained in anUiition nf £4,500,000 loan ol 1911 305,000 2,530,51' Balance at March 31, 1913.. 626,74 Balance of loan money to be received 904,77 Amount available with which to start the current year £1.621,31; _ The balance at March 31, included 5£249,776 for redemption of debentures aneiApril 15, ISI3. THE EECENT LOANS. The groes public debt at the end of the financial year amounted to £90.0(>n,7G3 Of this, approximately £r.5.000.000 hai been utilised in such works as construe tioß of railway*, telegraphs, and tele 1 ptfones; advances to settlers, workers and local authorities; purchase of lane for settlement purposes, etc.. which arc directly reproductive investments. The net debt amounted to £87.457.121 the balance of £:\Go.*:.t>42 beinj; in sinking funds. Owin X tfi the borrowing of the four-and-a-half lrjillinn and the threemillion loans during the past year the pnblic deht had; increased by £5,706.550 since March 31. 1012. The increases were:— £ State-guaranteed advances debt.. 2.572,294 Public works 2.fi4S.tiS(l Miscellaneous 4Sr>,S7(i Total Increase for 1012-13 £5,706,850 It is proposed, proceeds the Statement, w amend the Public Revenue Act in order ttat Treasury bills may be issued in London. This will facilitate the raising of temporary loans for the purposes of the Oonaolidafced Fund in anticipation of revenue. Daring the financial year the sum of *150,000 was transferred from the Consolidated to the Public Works Fund. the total amount of revenue transferred to the Public Works Fund mcc 1891 £0.280.000. The loans falling duo dirring the next Kven years are as follows: — Wl4 (from Jnlr lj 295.800 w\t 9,830,8*5 ,„}!: 4.259.702 \l\L 1,685.240 l%& 3.391.556 jS? 1.496,815 1320 C 37.280 Tot al £21,800,258 Tie £9,830,865 due in 1915 includes the "Ole of the £4,500.000 loan of 1911 and «.H2,600 of the £5.000.000 loan of 1910 ™t converted. Post Office Paving/? Bank invest™»ts jn New Zealand Government serontiw during the year ended March 4'nn 3 ' tota,lp <i £50f),300, compared with 'Wl.lOO in the vcar rnded Marr-h 31, «pt. The rate of interest payable by the wasury was raised on May U Inst 'from 3 > Per cent to 4 P"r cent." islf f m P aid ™'- r,f t!, c Consolidated fW"J towards tlia cxtiatiUon of loans enonntcd to £140,343 for the year. PUBLIC SERVICE. With regard to tho Public Service oaperannuation Fund, it is shown that ™ toco™ for the year ended December « last was £140.930 and tho ouf.jrofngs at°; V There "r™ ".HO foutrib:itor« I Mβ beginning of t; u . vpar and 10.027 1! ,l eloße - 5« hnd mwd to by death, etc. Teachers' Supfirannuntlcn Fund v Ml income of £55,2-of>, and erpon<li wre £26,317. The number of contribum, tacr «aßed from 3,387 to 3.553, and eeaaed to contribute, leavino- ,1.t>40

STATE ADVANCES th P ß M erri ? g tO . the State Advances Office during tne year were as follows:—SetsSwn d , ,ng ,' OanS fr ° m J*"" Debt £937 4 35 : workers, £449,-----OU local authorities, £547 "95 The report and balance-sheet of the adJMW to settlers branch shows a profit for the year of £73,864, and that of the £1™ S WOrlWrß braDCh a P rofit of 1nJ h %'°x?i authori «« branch shows a pared with the losses of the previous .'ears. During the two previous years ine loss amounted to £22.55". LOCAL GOYT3RNMENT. The subject of local government reform is dealt with as follows:—"Farther information has been obtained con■oerninc- local government in some of the States of the Commonwealth This has been considered hy the Governmentbut, in view of the very heavy programme of legislation provided for this year, it is doubtful if Parliament will have time this s?S-=ion to adequately consider thif important subject. It is intended, however, that proposals dealing with local government reform will, it possible, be. circulated this session for the consideration of members of Parliament and local bodies." STAMP REVENUE. The net receipts of the Sfaunp Departmfor , t , en , the P ast y ßar were:—, Land tax, £7"JS,6:iG, and income tax, £462,994, a total of £1,191,030; the estimate bein" exceeded by £01,630. The land tax re°ceipts showed an increase over those of 1911-1-2 of £81,020. On March 31st, 1910, there were 171 owners of freehold lands in the Dominion, whose individual holdings reached 10.000 acres or more, the aggregate area held by thorn being 3.509,471 acres. An examination of tlio assessments of these same owners on March 31st, 1912. showed that no less an area than 811.202 acres had been disposed of during that period. It is estimated that the receipts for the current year will be from land tax £750,000. and from income tax £470.000, a total of £1,220,000. It is intended during the present session to submit a proposal for graduating the income tax on the same principle as the graduated land tax of last session, providing that the increase in the rate will be uniform with the increase in value. The smaller incomes will pay slightly less, but this loss will be made up by an increase in the tax charged on the larjrer incomes.

FRUIT The Government has under consideration a proposal to introduce legislation this session wifich will enable financial assistance to be granted to associations of fruitgrowers for the purpose of erecting canning factories and providing cold storage. The question of establishing an agricultural college and experimental farms will be referred to the proposed Advisory Board of Agriculture as soon as the Board is established.

NEW ARBITRATION ACT TO EMBRACE ALL 'WORKERS. The Government has given careful consideration to the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. It is proposed to effect a number of amendments in the machinery provisions of the Act, and to embody these amendments in a consolidating! measure. As the present Act cannot be regarded as complete, as it applies to only those disputes that affect registered unions of workers, it is proposed to include in the measure some provision which it is hoped" will enable the parties to all industrial disputes to arrive at a peaceful settlement of their difficulties, and in this way. so far as possible, to prevent strikes and lockouts. It Is hoped shortly to-complete negotiations for the purchase of suitable land in; the country districts for agricultural: labourers' dwellings. Legislation will i be introduced this year to enable local bodies to acquire land and erect homes for workers. STATE PENSIONS. During the year the gross expenditure on pensions was as follows: —Old age pensions £415,749, widows' pensions £22,113, military pensions £3,678. The number of pensions in foice at the close | of the year under each head was as fol-' lows:—"Old age 16.509, a decrease of 140' on the figures of 1911-12; widows' 1,313,! an increase since last year of 52-5: mili-i tarv 565. or up to the present date G7o. The decrease in the number of old. age' pensions is due to the fact that some 3SO have been converted into military pensions. CONSOLIDATION. Since the Minister of Customs successfully negotiated a reciprocal trade treaty wibh the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia, the position of political parties in the Commonwealth has ■materially changed, and it is not possible for the New Zealand Government to take anT further action in the matter until the policy of the new Commonwealth Administration is disclosed. For this reason the usual practice of bringing I down the proposed new Customs tariff , ' with the Financial Statement will not be , followed upon this occasion. There baa been comparatively little or no alteration in the principles of the Cus- ■ torn? Law Act since the year 18S2. This most important Act has become largely obsolete and out of date. A consolidat- j ing Customs Law Bill will be introduced ; this session. This measure will contain ; many new proposals, which, it is hoped, ; will make, the Customs law more modern, more equitable, and in its administration more elastic. HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE. j The expenditure on mental hospitals for the year was £145.97 D. It is evident ( that it i> necessary to increase the accommodation at the St. Helen's hospitals, and to make arrangements to provide j the chief centres with modern and well- < equipped buildings. It will also be ad- i risal>!c for hospital boards t>o erect 1 maternity wards in connection with i country hospitals, and thus provide for J the requirements of country maternity < patients. i CROWN LAND,?. i The officers of t-he Lands and Survey 1 Department are endeavouring to give e'Tret to tho (Wire of the Government ! ' that all available lands be. placed on the ' ■market nt as eariy v date as possible. ; During the pa-st year rhe nrpfl of Crown ' land nvadr aruliliiip for ."ntUlement ' totalled 337,500 ac:-.--. in 2.230 sub-divi- ' sioi:s or allotments. Since the close of > the year there has been advertised for selection a further area of i-i1.500 acres. ' in 540 allotments. A Land Bill will l>6 < introduced iluring tho present session. ' and Parliament wiM bo «?f.ed tn :\<rrpp ' to further pxtrnoior. of iho freehold ; policy •.-.■)-<.-!i ■'.;>-. .•■•.[.:-,■. ■ ■.; by the foun- ' try at Uio i.-.-! ;,c-ri<>r: ' cieptiiin, ;invi i : wjiich undnnhiciliy i'tak".« i\ r -Un- <•<>:;■.' fideiu'o of the >f!tir-rs .in I th" prosperity | of the. Dominion. ' | The area of national endowment land < occupied under or license at the ' end of the year was U. 324.608 acres, at i an annual rental of £89,559. The total r

area at present witihin the endowment is 8,531,250 acres. Tie unlet area will be prepared for settlement as early as poe- I sible. The total area of Crown lands of aJI classes held, under lease or license at the close of the past financial year was 19,544,394 acres, "held by 29,532 selectors, and paying an annual rental of £898,831. In addition to bhis, educational and other endowment lands administered by the Lands and Survey Department represent a further area of 1,175,----664 acres, divided into 4.280 holdings, paying an annual rental of £87,460. The gross land revenue received during the past financial year was £912,029. MINERAL, RESOURCES. Owing to labour troubles at Waihi and Eeefton, the output of gold was considerably reduced, but despite these difficulties it amounted to £3,035,510, as against £3.492,362 in the previous year. The coal mining industry continues to prosper, the output being 2,177,615 tons, an increase of 111,542 over the previous year's output. During last session proposals relative to establishing the iron and steel industry in this Dominion were made by the Ethelburga Syndicate. The Government has decided to submit the various proposals to a committee of experts for examination and report LAND SETTLEMENT. The operations under the Land for Settlements Act have been larger than in the previous year, an area of 50,819 acres having been purchased at a value of £428,045. There is a good demand for grazing lands, but for mixed farming it is not so keen. Ten associations under the Land Settlement Finance Act have been completed during the year, with a membership of 87, and an area of 11.354 acres, valued at £185,8!)!). The settlement of native land during tho past Tear liae been up to the average, Since the coming into operation of the Act of 1909 the average of native knd alienated, either by purchaee or lease, bae been about 500,000 acres a year. A bill extensively amending the 1*909 Act, in the direction of giv'ng increased facilities for settlement of ..he remaining surplus native lands, will be introduced shortly. The question of rating native lands its under consideration, and a bill is in preparation which will make the collection of rates by the local bodies

PRIVATE RAILWAY LIKES. In the Eu-blic Works Statement of laet year it was suggested that wherever branch lines -of railway were deemed to be necessary a lighter and cheaper form of construction should be adopted. In pursuance of this view, several new branch lines were authorised daring last F-cssion. Aβ it was impossible for the Dominion to 'borrow in any one year a sum sufficient to provide for all these branch lines, as well as for the construction of the main lines, it is the intention of the Goveram-ent to permit private enterprise to undertake 6uch urork, subject to conditions which will carefully safeguard the public interest. Legislation giving efiVot to this proposal win be introduced thie'eeesicra.

The total expenditure upon roads and bridges, including the national-endow-ment and land-foT-sefctlement reads, was £420..253.

The 6eccmd meeting of the Committee of Imperial Defence, which the Minister had the privilege to attend, was held seven days before he left London. Some important details remained to be considered, and these, owing to hie departure for New Zealand, became matters of correspondence. So soon as these details are settled the Government will submit to Parliament a policy which will recognise to the full the necessit}' for one control for Imperial purposes, will create a more direct responsibility in naval defence for memTiers of the New Zealand legislature, and will give the people of this Dominion a more definite interest in defence matters, and afford them a better opportunity for -service.

The Minister states that the actual cost of the battleship presented to the Imperial Navy amounted to £1,701,000, and that the final payment 'has been made in London. Jn accordance Trirh the provisions of the. Xaval Defence Act, 1909, the sum ai £50.000, being sinking fund at the rate of 4 per cent. wae paid over during the year, making a total of £102,028 now in'the hands oi the Public Trustee towards the repayment of the loan. The sinking fund will be sufficient to repay the loan in about 17 years.

EDUCATIOX The increase in the amount to be provided for education this year ac compared with last years expenditure, is, the Minister states, due almost entirely to the increased attendance at the ordinary public echoole. at the manual and technical schools and classes, and at high schools, and also to the additional number of new school buildings which have to be provided for and maintained.

The Minister does not think it will be possible to bring down this session a scheme for the improvement of the staffs and of the salaries of te.acber* in public schools, but proposals dealing with these two question* will he submitted to Parliamen-t next vcar "Vtean while, to give some increase of salary where at is most needed, the Government intends, as from January 1 next to raise the amount of the yearly increments of salary in the several trades from £o to £10. The cost of ihis for £?■>££ V ear^ TiU P robab 'y be about l ?" ... addit ° n - His Proposed to make better provision for the par o f some of the staff of tbe training colleges and to increase the salaries of the ech^oll ary aeS ' stan * 3 in dist ™t hig-h

THE IMMIGRANT TIDE The Budget refers to th e establishment of the Immigration Department and to tlie steps taken to secure men of capacity liea ih. and character. Efforts have been made to arrange for a supply o f boys from country districts in England to be employed by farmers in New Zealand upon terms to be approved by tlic Government, on somewhat similar lines to those previously arranged with Mr SedewicJc Shortly after his arrival i n ilndon .fist yc.nr the High Commissioner reported (o lhf> Government tin: the present "offices :n \ietona Street. Westminster, were insuflieisnt for tin- accuuimodaUon of the staff. Severn 1 alternative sites were submitted and considered, and finally a site in the Strand, next to the Adclphi Theatre, was »*lee! rrl. It is hi-liev.-d that negotiations for a lease will shortly !>e completed. The owner? of te.o land'will c.reef :i building <~.{ »t.m-py? in height, upon (o be approve.! by the (tavern-.r.C-.it. at ;l eo.-t ■-: ii::.lt.->.i jli lirtweon tlW.'On ami £:>.'}.CA'.i, n.e tr-rm ~f t|,,. ; c:.-e wiii he -(I ye;ii>. BANIv OF KEW ZKAF.AND. The one million lo.in gimrantPPd In , the (jovernmrnt of New Zealand on account of lhr> Bark of New Zealand becomes due in 1914. Tbe directors of the bank have advised the Government that it would

be in the interest of the bank to renew this loan, and that legislation should be passed this session to permit of an increase in the capital of the bank. Some difference of opinion exists between the directors and some of the shareholders. The latter have made their representations to the Government. These, with the board's recommendations, have been carefully considered, and the Government has decided that legislation will be introduced this session which, it is believed, will be satisfactory to Parliament, to the directors, and shareholders, and in the interests of the people of the Dominion. ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAR. Dealing with the revenue and expenditure for 1913-14, the Minister says it is estimated that the revenue for 1913-14 will be £11,789,602, made up as follows : — £ Customs ."{,250.000 Railways 4.200.000 Stamps 1,000,000 Tost and Telegraph 1.230,000 land Taj „ 750,000 Income Tax 470,000 Beer Duty .... 124,000 Registration 92,000 Marine 51,200 Miscellaneous . 360,000 Territorial Revenue 100,000 National Endowment Revenue 72,402 £11,789,602 The balance in the Consolidated Fund at March 31, 1913, wae £709.508, and it ia proposed to deal with thisas follower — Transfer to the Public Worke Fund, £675,000: transfer to Advancee to lioca.l Authorities Branch, being lose incurred in iniO-11 and 1911-12, £22,557: totaj £fi!>7.557.

The position of the Consolidated Fund for the current year may thus be Gummarised:—'Balance after transfer to Public "Works Fund and to advances to Local Authorities Branch, £11.951; estimated revenue, £11,789,602 —£11,801,----553; estimated expenditure, £11.G79,G74; leaving a balance available for supplementary estimates of £121,879. THE NEW LOAN. Dealing-with public works the Minister says:—-'The Public Works Fund will require to be replenished during the enrrent finanical year, and I propose to ask Parliament to authorise a loan of £1,750,000 to be raised in Ixindon. "During the next 18 months, in a-d----dition to the ordinary requirements for the year, short-dated loans amounting to over £8.000.000 must be repaid, and to do this an equivalent amount will have to be borrowed in London. The Government has determined on a policy of progressive development of the resources, and will not fall to make provision for the necessities! of eettlere, workers, local authorities, and public works generally; but even London, with tin?, increasingly heavy demands for loans from β-o many would-be borrowers, must not be looked npon ac a source of supply without limitations, and too great a reliance on London may prove unsatisfactory."

ITEMS FROM THE ESTIMATES

(By Telegrapti.—Parliamentary Reporter.;

WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A £500 contribution to the Captain Scott memorial is to be voted, and £800 will bo contributed towards the publication of the expedition's scientific material.

£10,000 is set down to meet the expenses of t.he visit of lIJl.s. New Zealand to the Dominion. The salary of the new general manager of railways was announced a-3 £3,000 per annum, but £3,500 is to be voted.

The salaries of the Public Service Commissioners (not voted on by the House, but provided under permanent appropriation) total £3,300. In addition there are nine clerks, and two cadets in the office, costing £2.031, and miscellaneous charges associated with the office aggregating £4,180. The latter item includes £2,320 for public service examinations, formerly charged to the Education vote. Excluding this, the cost of the three Commissioners and Uieir staff is set down in the Estimates at £7.191.

Among the Marine Department items are: Compensation to Captain Atwood in connection with Elingamite wreck, £100; renewal of cable to East Coast Hothouse, £750.

Cinder the Lands Survey heading appear £7,500 for grass cc"cd for Crown lands and settlers, last year's expenditure being £56!), and eradication of noxious weeds on Crown land. £3 000 ( £027).

The salaries' of the four newly appointed police euperintesdents are, one at £500, two at £450 and one. at £440. Altogether the increases in the salary list of fhe Police Department aggregate The Defence Department estimates approximate very nearly to last year's expenditure, Hie votes asked " totalling £505,047. as against last year's expend diture of £505,207. A new grant of £350 appears for rifle shooting prizes for territorials. An interesting new item is £500 for expenses in connection with military detention. A vote of £500 appears on account of a mountain battery of 4 B.L. 2.75 guns, to cost £4.-250. "Arms and spare parts demand £20,000, as against £6.000 last year. The purchase includes 10.000 I,ee-Bnneid rifles from England and 15,000 from Canada

The education vote. which easily ???« ™- c mmion imrk last y pnr - tota, « i 1,133,020. A new item is £3.000 for school and class libraries. The medical inspection system is expected to cost £1,800 in salaries. £2.350 for incidentals, and travelling expenses £1.200. The vote for general maintenance of school buildings, etc., appears at £55.000. The physical training and junior oadet vote appears at f10.940. against an expenditure of £4,878 last year. New items that appear for the first time are £5.000 for courses of instruction, including camps for teachers, and £fi'2O for equipment for training classes. Travelling expense? and allowances jump from £193 to £1,500. P Experimental work of a special character is provided for by the Agricultural department a* follows: Experiments in cultivating North Auckland gum lands £600, redrawing denuded lands £500. control of drifting sand areas £200. utilisation of pumice lands £500. The vote for salaries in thr Post and Telegraph Department is £r,2.OSi in ex-' ce?s of last year's expenditure. Bicycles! figure is a big item of 0.-cponse in the I Postal Department estimates. the! amount allocated for the purchase of bk-Tolp? and motor cycles, an,! allowance* i tn officers usi,T<r their own machines i« £5..j00. The Public iTojiHh estimates include' fl.fiOO for Mndiciil Aiwociation print--£l.-.O as a subsidy for Siih-.ui.-ri ,\rmy prison.-' brigade -,vork. and £2.400 tn, mb-idiae sooietiiv for rlip promotion of' the lirolih of wonwi! an.l children, j Grants to swimming associations, for-' merly £600. are cut down to one-half that sum. Several rotes appear on this year's estimates in connection with proposed! Government displays at the forthcom-i

mg Auckland Exhibition. Amcne them are a vote of f 1,750 for a fresh-water aqaarmm. The Agricaltural Depart£l,ooo, and tie Mmes Department items ™^Trl tOmeet The cost of the St. Helens Hospital inquiry m Auckland -was £600. For the expenses o f the Forestry Commißs.on £2,500 appears. In anticipation of an increased output at the Point Elizabeth State colliery a vote of £240,000 is asked, as against £140,000 last year. In connection with "the National Provndont Fund, £1,200 is to be voted for lectures and advertising. The Post Office is to get £3,000 for services rendered the Pensions Department. The sum of £5-20 is voted as compensation to the relatives of the late Constable Doyle, who died as a result of injuries received while in the execution of his duty. An increase of £2.000 is shown in the vote of £B,SOO for the High Commissioner's Office. There are 48 officers on the staff, and the High Commissioner's salary of £2,000 is not included. A sum of £900 Is .provided for the preparation of lymph, other vaccines sera, and all expenses incidental to bacteriological work. The Resident Commissioner of Cook Islands receives £7.00 per annum (an increase of £100), and a new office has been created, Registrar of Courts, £500. A compassionate allowance of £250 is to be paid the widow of the late Major CMair in recognition of his service during the Maori war. The Lands Department provides in ite estimates for a payment of £20 per month to Joshua Jones, the Mokau landa claimant.

AUCKLAND ITEMS. The following interesting Auckland items appear in the Estimates, the previous year's expenditure appearing in parenthesis: Conveyance of inland mails, £18.500 (£15,013); Government House, £600 (£3S7) ; Supreme Court alterations and renovations, £500 (£157); alterations, etc., to old post office, £700; Waikato Sanitorium repairs (on account), £1,000; contribution towards cost of reforming part of Lower Queen Street in front of new post office, £194.; magistrate for Onehunga, Otahuhu, Papakura, Mercer, Pukekohe and Wahiku, £525; Rotorua Cottage Hospital, £300; subsidy to Auckland Museum £ for £ expense on Maori carvings, £250 (re-voted) : grant to Auckland Acclimatisation Soeietv for Okoroire game farm, £100; grant to Auckland Society for Protection of Women and Children, £75 (re-voted) ; grant towards Victoria League's proposed soldiers' memorial on account. £200 (revoted) ; compassionate allowance to Gunner W. S. Bickerton, Auckland, for injury while on duty, £75; automatic light for Ponui Passage lighthouse, £350; picking and sale of oysters, £4,000 (£3,889); planting oysters in Hauraki Gulf £300 (£23) ; acquiring land for Beach reserve. Hauraki Gulf. £250; automatic light for Shelly Reach beacon, Kaipara, £233; d'L'rville Rock beacon, £50; erection of wharf, Batley, Kaipara, £650; improving navigation of Tahcke River, £200; repairs to Matakohe wharf, £225 (£81) ; construction of roads and bridges on Crown lands adjoining Hauraki Plains, £3,500: (£223) ; part cost of formation of road from Waikara to Piako River, £1.550 (£53) ; metalling roads in Hauraki Plains. £0.500 (£:!.SPO voted last year, but unexpended) ; Piako and Waitoa Rivers improvement, £1,500 (£537); road construction in Rangitaiki drainage district, £1.500 (£1,99) ; bank protection Tarawera River, £298 (re-voted) -, Onetree Hill Domain £100 (re-voted) ; Kauri Sully Domain, £40 (re-voted) ; grant towards purchase of recreation land at Puke,kohe,' £750 (re-voted) ; access to Titirangi. £150 (re-voted) : Tokatoka swamp drainage subsidy. £3.103 (£S97) ; Tokatoka swamp stop-bank and drainage, £1,000 (£297) ; engineering surveys lit Waikato River. £2,250 (£7SO) ; Waikato River Board grant. £250 (re-voted) : Waitoa Drainage Board subsidy, £900; grant to Auckland A. and P. Society's Dominion Show, £500; Mamaku Experimental, £750; destruction of rabbits in distrU-t Crown lands, £3.000 (£2,037) : Experimental Farms, Bickerstaffe, £750 (£SSS) : Ruakura. £6.000 (£3,475) ; Waerenga. £5.500 (£4.ti6l); grant to Auckland University College for Commerce and Mining, £2,000 (£2.000); addition to statutory grant Auckland College, £1,200 (£1500) ; grant for laboratory to Auckland College £500 (re-voted) ; protective works to prevent encroachment of Whakatane and Waimana River?, £1,500 (£1.046) : new public trust premises, £1.800 (£14,2161.

DEBATE OPENS WEDNESDAY. Seldom has so thin a Boose and sucli sparsely-peopled galleries been seen on a Budget night as greeted the 1913 Financial Statement of the Reform Government to-night. Tlie .Minister of Finance began the lengthy reading a few minutes after 7.30, to very scattered benches and with the strangers' gaHeries but half occupied. A few additional visitors made their appearance as the Minister proceeded, while a little variety was lent to the usually somewhat tedious process by occasional jocular interjections from the hon. members on the Opposition benches. Following the usual course, the Minister moved to refer the Estimates to the Public Accounts Committee, which will consider them and report in a fortnight.

Mr. Russell suggested that the debate on the Statement should be commenced a fortnight hence.

The Prime Minister replied that he would give members a week-end to thick over it. He -would fix the opening of the debate for Wednesday ovenins.