ESTIMATES ANALYSED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16259, 19 June 1916, Page 7

ESTIMATES ANALYSED.

VERY FEW NEW VOTES.

OLD GRANTS UNEXPENDED.

CHIEF ITEMS OF INTEREST. [BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.! Wellington, Saturday. The Estimates presented with the Financial Statement last night are less interesting than usual. There appears to be nothing of note in the way of ■• retrenchment, but the new votes are very few. Many of the items are sums which were voted last year, and unexpended, or only partly spent, at the end of the financial year. Amongst the Defence Department's rotes, which do not include any war charges, are the following Medical fees £or examination on registration, including expenses in connection with same, £1000. £575 expended last year; annual grant for rifle shooting prizes, including marking fees, £1000, £942 expended last year; rifle shooting expenses, including grant to Dominion Rifia Shooting Association, £1000, nothing expended last year; central school .of instruction for permanent and territorial officers, £1400, £56 expended last year.

Last year £800 was voted towards the cost of the publication of the scientific material of the British Antarctic expedition. No portion of the sum was expended. A vote of £53 only is proposed this year, but there is a new vote of £500 for a similar purpose in connection with the Mawson expedition.

Of last year's vote of £500 towards the expenses of the Australasian Medical Congress, £400 was expended. Last year J21350 was voted for expenses in connection with the Maori epidemic of 1913, and J3782 was expended. One of this year's votes is one of £100 /.'or baths for soldiers at the tepid iswimming bath in Wellington. The fees paid to the assessors of industrial councils amounted to £1864 last year, and a vote of £1800 is asked for this year.

A vote of £15,000 for the purchase of the proposed new Government steamer, to replace the Hinemoa, was authorised last year. The sum was not expended. This year provision is made for a vote of £10,000. The working expenses and repairs of the Hinemoa accounted for an expenditure of £10,350 last year, and authority is now asked for a vote of ,£10,700.

.Provision is made to the. extent of £1000 for refund of duty on gifts sent by members of the Expeditionary Forces and on their effects. A vdfeof £100 also appears to provide for refund of duty on goods donated for the use of the Expeditionary Force. A vote of £300 to provide a guarantee on experimental shipments of fruit to th© west coast of North America appeared on last year's Estimates. There was no expenditure on account of the vote, which is now repeated. For "tomato experiments" £100 was voted last year and £6? expended; another vote of £100 is proposed. The vote for Plunket nurses is £4000 (£2700 was voted last year and £1227 expended). For medical and nursing aid to Maoris, exclusive of salaries, £1500 is proposed (£1303 was expended last year). Last year £5000 was voted for grass seed for Crown lands and settlers, and £2256 was expended. A further vote of £5000 is proposed this year. The total vote this year for State sawmills, less estimated credits of £56,000 lis £20,000.

VOTES FOR AUCKLAND.

ROADS AND DRAINAGE.

|BT TELEGRAPHS-SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT." Wellington, Saturday. The Estimates include the .following Auckland votes:—

Out of a vote of £900 last year for the construction of roads and drains on Crown lands adjoining the Hauraki Plains only £59 was spent; this year's vote is £800. For metalling the Hauraki Plains roads a vote of £6000 is to be taken last year's expenditure was £5019. Various other votes are provided for Hauraki Plains works. The preliminary work done by the Auckland Inland Waterways Commission was responsible for an expenditure of £1041 last year. A new vote of £1000 on account of the commission is proposed. There is a grant of £700, with a further £ for £ subsidy up to £300, for the Tokatoka swamp drainage, making a total of £1000. A similar amount was voted last year, but there was no expenditure. There is a new vote of £750 to the Waitoa Drainage Board as a £ for £ subsidy towards clearing the Waiharakeke Stream. The grant of £850 to the Waikato River Board for clearing willows was not expended, and- it again appears this. year. Last year £590 was spent on the Waimana protective works out of a vote of £1250; this year's vote is £750. The following are included in the votes for recreation grounds and domains— Mount Albert (£ for £ subsidy), £500; Mount Wellington (£ for £ subsidy), £50; Panmure, £100 Waikowhai Park improvements (£ for £ subsidy), £250; Warkworth, £50; Russell, £100; Te Kuiti, £79. All these amounts were voted last year, hut none were spent. A new vote is one of £1250 as a grant on account towards- the construction of the main arterial road through the Rangitaiki Plains.

The sum of £1045 was spent last year on new buildings at Tiritiri. There is a new vote of £850 for this purpose. The vote for the picking and sale of oysters is £5000. Last year £5264 was expended. Last year £179 was spent in planting oysters in Hauraki Gulf, and a further vote of £200 is now provided. The vote for the Waimangu round trips and hostel is £400 (£4OO voted last year and £331 expended).