Small Surplus On Cook Publication

Press, Issue 32333, 26 June 1970, Page 6

Small Surplus On Cook Publication

If the second edition of the publication James Cook and New Zealand, is completely sold out there will be a surplus on it of about $BOOO, according to the annual report of the Controller and Auditor-General (Mr B. D. A. Greig).

This surplus is expected to 1 be almost equivalent to the ; subsidies received for the first edition of 10,000 copies. The report says that it was ' a matter of concern that no estimate of the cost of the project was attempted at the ' beginning and that appropri-

) ate expenditure authority : was not sought until the /printing of the book had . reached an advanced stage. > In April last year the Tour)jist and Publicity Department ; j said that it was not possible )to cost production of the -publication until the book ! had been "laid up” as the cost depended on the print- | ing and plate work required !and other factors to ensure [that the objectives of the publication were met. The Government Printer [ recommended a production run of 10,000 copies of the book to ensure that a wide section of the public would

have the opportunity to pur- ’ chase it. I In order to meet competii tion from similar books, he considered that the retail ■ prite should not exceed > $4.50, but to retail at this • price, with the normal profit margin, a subsidy of $lO,OOO ! would be required, said the ■ report. The subsidy was approved in August last year. Of this, 1 $4OOO was allocated from the [ Tourist and Publicity vote and the rest from Internal Affairs vote. The Government Printer’s production costs were $43,013, ' less the subsidies of $10,000; 1 in addition Tourist and Publicity paid the authors’ fees and expenses, and cost of assembling material, etc., i amounting to $ll5O. The second edition of 10,000 copies of James Cook and New Zealand has been printed at a cost of $24,250,. says the report 1