THE ESTIMATES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 193, 17 July 1941, Page 8

THE ESTIMATES

SLIGHT INCREASE SHOWN. PROVISION FOR ELECTION. (Press Assn.) WELLINGTON, July 16. Taken as a whole the Estimates which were presented with the Budget tonight in the House of Representatives , show little variation on those presented last year. The total estimated exI penditure provided for in the main estimates is. approximately £IOO,OOO , more than last year, and the annual 1 votes show an increase of approximately £GOO,ODO. In the main estimates the total expenditure provided for for 1911-42 is £.38,811,948 against last year’s expenditure of £38,711,<503. The estimates of debt services this year total £10,954,719. against £ll.-, 997,075 last year. Under this heading! interest this year totals £8,540,645, ! against £B,l-52,586 last year. Repay-, moot, of public debt this year amounts to £2,260,020, compared with last , year's repayment of £2,074,062. Trans- { fers to loans redemption accounts last j year amounted to £1,096,785. Under special Acts, the total estimates this year amount to £5,635,630, ' last year’s expenditure under this heading amounting to £5,282,621. An interesting item under this vote is a decrease this year in the estimate for exchange, this year’s figure being £l,600.000, against £2.403,301 last year. The highways estimate this year is £2,172,000, against last year’s expenditure of £2;400,587. Provision has also been made for the transfer from the Consolidated Fund i to the War Expenses Account this vear of £1,500,000. ANNUAL VOTES HIGHER.

The total estimated annual votes this year amount, to £22,190,268, against last year’s £21.404,802. Tho Legislative Department vote this year totals £115,000, against £111.055 expended last year, and the Prime Minister’s Department estimate is £22,220, against an expenditure last year of £24,527. The Treasury Department this year, it is estimated. will expend £53,490, against £59,778 last year, and the (instoms Department estimate is £159,246 this year, against £153,578 last year. The Land and Income Tax Department is estimated to cost £199,600, against £185.449 last year. Additional staff is chiefly responsible for this increase. The Stamp Duties Department vote is £102,200, against an expenditure of. £102,427 last year. The Audit Department this year asks for £43,100, against last year £39,900, and the Public Service Commisisoner's office this year

£16,500. against last year £16,104. A fairly substantial reduction is taking place this year in the Internal Affairs Department vote, which is £496,500, against £516,219 last year, the decrease being largely because there aro no centennial celebrations this year. The. External Affairs Department Vote is of £247,700, against £209,732 last year, and includes a provision of £32.500 for new engines for a steamer owned by the Government. The Printing and Stationery Department vote is set down at £357,530. against £293 184 last year, the in- ! crease being attributable chiefly to tlic increased cost of paper and stores. The Marine Department vote totals £156,890, against £168,785. One of the most marked reductions in this year’s estimates is that for the Labour Department, which is £1,603,000, against £2,517,326 last year. The. decrease is principally effected by a reduction in the provision for the promotion of employment, which is set down at £1,500,000, against an_ expenditure last year of £2,414,207. The Native Department estimate is £428,300, against £412,904 last year. A new item will bo a payment to the special Native Housing Fund equi- , valent to one-third of Native Trust , Office profits paid to tho Consolidated ; Fund, estimated at £8362. This vote j also provides for the transfer to the Native Trustee in aid of the special fund for houses for indigent Natives , of £25,000. The Valuation Department vote this year is £40,000, against last year’s expenditure of £37,560.

ELECTION PREPARATIONS. One of the most significant; votes this year is that for the Electoral Department. which amounts to £112,.W0 against £8133 last year. Provision for a general election and a licensing poll is made in this year’s vote. The Census and Statistics Dopart- ! mont vote is £33,390, against £33,023 last year. The National Service Department this year will have £102,500 compared with £100,911 last year The ! Justice and Prisons Department’s vote is £278,005, against £271,041 ; Crown Law Office, £B6BO and last year £8348. The Police Department this year is estimated to cost £607,700 against an expenditure of £649,715 last year. Provision is made lor £2400 lor ten women police officers. The other increased expenditure is made up in bringing the Police Eorce up to full strength. The maintenance of Public Works and services totals £600,000 against £575,697 last year, the increase being accounted for' by increased provision for river protection works. Provision for £17,550 is made in the Lands and Survey estimate of £404,800 against , £368,177 last year for swamp land I drainage, and the Agricultural Department estimates are increased from ! £1,611,984 expended last year to £L- , 806,800 chiefly as a result of increases jin subsidies on the manufacture of | fertilisers and rail carriage of lime, ; fertilisers and farm produce. The Industries and Commerce and Tourist land Publicity Department vote this lycar is £BOI.IOO against £688,542 last year. Of this increase an additional! ! subsidy of £30,000 on wheat, and a subsidy to the sugar industry of an i additional £84.000 is included. I The Scientific and Industrial Rej search vote this year is £153,200, comI pared with £164,074 last year, and an increased subsidy on coal production of £50,000 is chiefly responsible for an increase in the Mines Department vote of £298,475 compared with £233,063 last year. The Transport Department is estimated to cost £86.400 against i £67.362. and the Health Department £],769,595 against £1.423,609. The increases in the latter department’s expenditure includes £3G,700 ior thesupply of apples for school children and an additional subsidy to hospital hoards of approximately £237.000. The Mental Hospital Department vote is £448,700 against last year’s expenditure of £425,671, and the Education Department vote this year £4,772,200 against £4,606,347 last year. WAR PENSIONS INCREASE. War and sundry pensions this. year arc expected to absorb £2.070,947 against £1.957,217 last year, the increase including additional war veterans’ allowances oi about 6 £13.000. The contribution to the Social Security Fund under the vote for Social Security lias been increased from £3.200.- , 000 last year to £3,600.000 this year. The National Provident and Friendly Society vote this year is £103,200 against £103,513. Under the heading of separate accounts the Land for Settlers’ Account this year is ..estimated at £449.900. against £379,731, the increase being principally due to the purchase of areas for settlement of discharged soldiers. The Social Security Fund vote for administration expenses and enter-'

gency benefits this year is £005,910,

I against £572.220, the increase being j partly due to the cost of administration for the medical and phannaceutic- ! al benefits. Medical and hospital bene- , fits this year are estimated to cost • £3,000.000, against £1,77(3,655 last ; year. A new item under this heading |is £600,000 tot medical benefits. I There is also an increase in provision for maternity benefits of £32.000, and the hospital bench,s increase this year is from £1,258,633 last year to £1,437,000 this year, provision is also made this year lor pharmaceutical benefits at a cost of £350,000, and supplementary Iviiefics £(55,000. The Si :e Coal Mines Account this year is mated at £594,745, against £491,300. The State forests account this year, £529,000, against £499,990 last year. The Working Railways Account this year is estimated at £9.842,581, ■ against £8,662.162 last year. Renewals and depreciation of roiling 6tock accounts for approximately £1 ,400,000 of the increase. Under the heading of outside accounts, the Post Office account this year will be £4,135,853, against £3,664,260 last year, an increased provision of approximately. £IOO.OOO for salaries (cost of living bonus) being included in this amount. Chief among other accounts, estimates being given first, and last year’s expenditure in brackets in each instance are: —Public Trust account, £356,355 (£333,905); Native Trustees’ Account, £24,862 (£14,495); Government Life Insurance, £150,983 (£135,913); Public Service (Superannuation Fund £8625 (£8005); State Fire, £114,625 (£115,626); Government Accident, £46,720 (£42.089); Dairy Industry Account, £30,517 (£37,569); Meat Industry, £38.536 (£39,161); Sundry Products Account, £20.502 (£19,913); Wool Industry, £12,713 (£10,359); Internal Marketing, £77,271 (£68,544); Fruit Industry, £20,430 (£13,668). The last item under this heading is the Broadcasting Account, the estimate for which is £297,770 against £261,713 last year. Capital expenditure of the National Broadcasting Service shows an increase of £9OOO. a.nd salaries of the Commercial Broadcasting Service an increase of £4OOO.

MONEY FOE PUBLIC WORKS

REDUCED HIGHWAYS VOTE. WELLINGTON, July 16. The Public Works Fund Estimates were also presented to-night. In the general purposes account this year’s estimate is for £5,012.300, against £5.990,015 last vear'. The Public Works Departmental vote this year is £200,000, against £48,731 expended last year, due to increased crodits-in-aid.

The railway construction account this year is set down at £607,100. against £857,932 last year; railway improvements and additions to open lines this year involve £150,000, whereas lastyear they were £1,072,160. In addition to this year’s £150,000 the working railways depreciation fund is to provide for the expenditure of £1,625.000. The public buildings esti-' mato this year is £9OO,IKK) against £901,000 last year. Education buildings arc to cost £500,000 against £541,000 last year. Roads and so on I account this year for £350.000 against £599,000 last year. Telegraph extensions arc £275,000 against £256.000. Lands improvement is £200,000 this year compared with £242,957 last year. The irrigation and water supply "vote is £552,000 against £611.038. 'Small farms development costs will amount to £388,200, against £315.419. Native land settlement will absorb £250,000, against £238,444 last vear I he vote for linen flax development is £600,000, last year £245,977. The electricity supply account is £2 957 375 • last year £2.304.331 and the main iimh"i"-™ , is £2.742,200 against £3,521.382 last year.