THE ESTIMATES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 8 August 1928, Page 5

THE ESTIMATES

A SUMMARY AMOUNTS OF CHIEF VOTES INTERESTING COMPARISONS REDUCTIONS AND .INCREASES (By Telegraph) (From “The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter); . WELLINGTON, 7th August. . The estimates came down in the House of Representatives to-night. Of ,the amount of £45,000 voted last year for expenditure in Family Allowances the sum of £37,515 was actually spent. This year the vote is £60,000. ■•Towards the pay and expenses of General Ilichardaan while attending the meeting of the * Permanent Mandates Commission at Geneva a sum of £<2ooo is allocated.

In the Cook Islands vote appears an item of £30,192 as part of the year’s incidental expenses in connection with the running of the new motor vessel Maui Pomare. SUBSIDY ON ONAKAKA. IRON In view of an increased output of pig iron which is expected this year the bounty payable to the Onakaka Iron and Steel Company is ; being increased to £BOOO. Last year.the vote was £4820 and the expenditure £4487. The expenditure in connection with the visits last year, of the Rt. Hon. L. S. Amery. and party, Admiral and Lady Fergusson and family, the Bishop of London and party, Sir Tom Bridges- and Dr. N, S. Newland, Professor Lund and students, the Canadian Football Team, the New Zealand cricketers, the Hon. T. R. Bavin and party, etc., amounted to £4840. Expenses incurred in connection with the search for the missing, airmen, Captain Hood and Lieut. Moncrieff account for an item of £673. In the Internal Affairs Department vote an amount of £226 was also paid under th6' heading of unauthorised expenditure. A new grant of £12,500 is made . in respect to the Auckland War Memorial.

LAND AND SEA DEFENCE ITEMS The refitting of H.M.S. Diomede in England is coating £B,OOO. <. In order to bring up to date the naval base workshops at Devonport-, Auckland, a sum of £IOOO- is set aside. Reference libraries for instructional purposes on H.M. ships Dunedin, Dio; mode and Philomel are to cost £IOO. The Defence Department vote of £IO,OOO made last year for field and heavy gun animuniFion and other, explosives is this year being doubled in order that reserve'.stocks of ammunition may -be accumulated. The curtailment of camp attendances enables a reduction from £22,500 to £18,500 Jo be made in tlie cost of catering, and for. the same, reason the vote for territorials’ pay is; reduced from £37,469 to £25,500. PURCHASE OF AIRPLANES The purchase of additional airplanes, including Moths, for loan to aero clubs accounts for £30,000 allocated for the purchase of aircraft, last year’s vote for the purpose being £19,400. . ■. Owing to increased importations by i parcel post it has been found necessary to provide for an increase in the pay-: ment to,the P. and T. Department for the collection of duty. _ ■ The refund of duty on artificial poppies imported from' England by the Returned Soldiers’ Association for sale to the public amounts to £215 as compared with £143 last year. ' The expenses/of'the Industrial Conference held in the Parliamentary recess, including delegates’ honoraria and travelling allowances. and expenses and secretarial charges'are set down at £3750. ! ELECTORAL EXPENSES Extraordinary items in. the Electoral Department estimates incidental to the coming General Election are £27,000 for the expenses of " the 'polling, £30,003 for the preparation and'printing of the rolls, £BOO for the Licensing Committee elections, £13,000 for the licensing poll and £2OOO for the formation of new rolls as a result of electoral boundary changes. AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT -.- To cover the cost of the gd per lb subsidy on pork exported to Great Britain an amount of £15,000 (on account) appears/bn the estimates of the Agriculture Department. / u The vote of £58,500 last year as the Department’s portion of freight rates on fertilisers was ..over.-expended, the actual amount spent being £74,806. This year £75,000 is allocated for the purpose. ' The expenses connected with the revision of the primary school syllabus amounted to £733. A number of new items appear in the estimates of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. They include £I6OO qs grants, etc., in connection with flax selection, breeding, cultivation and chemical and mechanical investigation, £3700 for research at Canterbury Agricultural College. The travelling expenses of members of the Empire Forestry Conference are estimated at £2500. In Jhe working railways estimates appears a new item, of £6500 bv way of subsidy to the Railway Sick Benefit Society. ' l There is a further-amount of £60,000 for the purchase of land and houses on behalf of railway employees under' the workshop reorganisation scheme.