POINTS FROM THE ESTIMATES

Evening Star, Issue 18048, 16 August 1922, Page 5

POINTS FROM THE ESTIMATES

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, August 15. Overseas mail service votes have not changed, it being explained that no alteration was made when the San FranciscoVanoouver contract was renewed. There is a decrease of £560 in tho estimated cost of tho coastal mail service, due mainly to the discontinuance of the Wel-lington-Pelorus Sounds service._ A saving of £73,000 is anticipated on inland mail contracts, due to more economical revision and rearrangement when •reletting tho last contracts. Tli© Postal Department’s vote for overtime and meal allowances has dropped to £50,000, showing £15,000 saving, due to the policy of granting time off in lieu of cash payments for overtime. _ Cook Islands votes include £SOO installation for wireless service at Niue Island, and £250 for medical service at Niue. INDUSTRIES AND COMMERCE. This department has a £250,000 vote to establish credit for tho purchase of wheat for resale and export. Last year s expenditure under this head was £2,255,933, but recoveries were £2,299,278. Subsidies to flour millers last year which are not renewed cost £182,000. _ The butter subsidy which ceased in August, 1921, cost £232,019, with a further £15,000 to cover outstanding liabilities to be voted this year. DEFENCE. A reduction is shown of £194,712, equal to 38 per cent., the total being £317,615. The items comprise military defence trainmg of Cadets £276,155, aviation £7,C(X), non-effective (services £12,271, and rifle clubs and encouragement to rifle shooting £20,190. There has been a reduction of £369 in the personnel. The now ammunition contract provides for half the farmer deliveries, reducing the cost from £89,0C0 to £42,000. FORESTRY ITEMS. The Forestry Department Estimates provide £2,000 for a forest equipment station for the purpose of carrying out operations on the West Coast in order to formulate a sound plan of forest management over the two million acres of forest lands in this region. £1,450 is appropriated for the continuance of investigations regarding factors of forest regrowth, which are proceeding in conjunction with Canterbury and Auckland colleges. WAR .EXPENSES.

There was an expenditure of £914,000 on War Expenses Account. A further sum of £756,000 is required, including £106,500 owing for equipment and ammunition ; £6OO New Zealand s proportion to the League of Nations secretariat; £199,752 for medical supplies and treatment of soldiers at military -hospitals sanatoria; £25,000 for balance of liability tor repatriation of enemy aliens ; and £4/5,090 for shipping expenses, against which wail bo set off approximately £600,000 charged to the Imperial authorities for the transport of Imperial troops on New Zealand hospital ships. It, is stated in a footnote that New Zealand’s liability for transport changes during the war totalled about £1,000,000. A vote of £28.400 is taken for hatt efield memorials at Somme, Passchondaele, Palestine, and Anzac. MISCELLANEOUS.

The Pension Department’s vote for the influenza epidemic for widows has decreased by £IO,COO. _ Hospital boards received £7,695 from land agents’ licenses, which has _ been diverted this year to the Consolidated Revenue. The cost of taking the census was £22 623. The cost of living bonuses to pensioner's under the Public Service, Railways, and Teadhers’ Superannuation Funds (£64,705) is reduced this year to £40,800. The expenses of the Kcw Zealand delegate to the Washington ]Ji sarniament Conference, also of his private secretary and official sceretnrv, require a further vote of £2.000 in addition to £1,115 already charged. . The Health Department’s vote provides for a, £IO.OOO subsidy for Plunket nurses, which includes £3,500 commitment from the previous year. The vote for coal and oil fuel to H.M.b. Chatham increased from £25,000 to £32,750 to provide for the carrying out of exercises with the Australian squadron. The Marine Department expended £4,536 on the picking and sale of oysters, last year’s proceeds being £7,763. It is anticipated that owing to the development of operations the revenue will amount to £8 000 Corning to the General Election, accounts for the electoral vote are increased from ■ £6,295 to £84,548; and £IO,(XX) is provided for the taking of the licensing poll. The housing account includes a vote of £133.000 for the erection of houses, and £5,000 for reading and surveying. OTAGO UNIVERSITY. •

Local items in tho Estimates include £I,OOO grant for the analytical laboratory, £IO,OOO for tho bacteriological laboratory (physics department), £1,350 for dental bursaries, and £2,000 for the pathological laboratory.