ITEMS ON ESTIMATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18170, 16 August 1922, Page 11

ITEMS ON ESTIMATES.

COST OF GENERAL ELECTION.

DEFENCE RETRENCHMENT.

DEBTS UNDER WAR ACCOUNT [BX TELEGRAPH. —SPECTAt, KEPOETER.]

WELLINGTON". Tuesday

The estimates of expenditure from the. Consolidated Fund include the follow-

ing :— There is a vote of £250,000 tc - ; «bi a credit for the purchase of wheat; iasfc year the vote was £500,000, aDd the amount expended £2 ; 255,933. It is anticipated that the whole of the vote will be recoverable. Last year the recoveries amounted to £2,299,278, as against the expenditure of £2.255,933. A vote of £2000 is proposed for a forest experimental station for silvicultural operations in the West Coast, to formulate a sound plan of forest management over 2,000,000 acres of forest land in that region. Upon the release of overseas liners from the Impsriai requisition at the beginning of 1919 new agreements were made with the owners by the Ministry of Shipping on behalf of the Imperial and Dominion Governments involving an increase in troop passage rates. New Zealand's liability for this and for reconditioning vessels, supply of coal to hospital ships, and all other charges totals 11 000,000 approximately, against which will be set approximately £500,000 due to New Zealand for the carriage of Imperial troops in New Zealand hospital ships, etc.

War Memorials and Graves. A sum of £28,400 is to be voted for the battlefield memorials at the Somme, Mesfiines, Passchendaele, Le Quesnoy, Palestine, and Anzac. All work in connection with soldiers' graves overseas is being carried out by the Imperial War Graves Commission, New Zealand's proportion of the cost being its proportion of the number of graves. The sum of £35,000 is provided for this purpose, as against £48,284 last year, of which £24,301 was expended. The cost of the maintenance and repatriation qi prisoners of wax and alien enemies is set down in the estimates at £25,000. Last year's vote was £2500, and of this £884 Was spent. It is stated that the balance of liability for the transport of repatriated aliens will be included in the final settlement with the Ministry of Shipping. A vote of £5000 is provided to cover the cost of the electoral rolls in connection with the alteration of boundaries oi ! districts. The expenses of taking the coming general election are estimated at £250,000, while £300,000 is to be voted for the preparation and printing of rolls. For the taking of the licensing poll, £10,000 is provided. On the taking of the 1921 census and the printing of results, £22,623 was expended. This year an additional vote of £2250 is asked for.

Grants to Plunket Society. Votes in aid of the Eoyal New Zealand Society for the Health of Women and Children are set down as follows: —Kari-tane-Harris Hospital, Duneclin, £2350, including £1350 for the previous year; Karitane-Stewart Hospital, Wanganui, £500; Karitane-Wolfe Hospital, Christchurch, £500; subsidies toward salaries of Plunket nurses £10,000, including commitment of £3500 from the previous year. The oiiily item for. the St. John Ambulance Association is £400, which is last year's item revoted, as the. amount was expended after this financial year had begun. The total naval defence vo&e is £256,656. The amount expended laist year was £303,517. The vote for pay of officers and ships' companies aboard H.M.S. Chatham and H.M.S. Philomel, and for pay of new entries under training, is £112,500; last year's expenditure was £104,886. The increase m this year's vote is due to increases in complements, and to progressive rates of pay on advancement. The vote for coal and oil fuel for the Chatham is £32,750 (£30,000 last year), and for the Philomel £2000. The increase in the amount set down for the Chatham provides for the carrying out of exercises with the Royal Australian Squadron. The total vote for land defence is £317,616, made up as follows:—Military , defence and training of cadets, £276,155; aviation, £9000; non-effective services, £12,271; rifle clubs and encouragement of rifle shooting, £20,190. The 1914-15 total was £512,328, so that this year's vote shows a reduction upon that year's of £194,712 or 38 per cent. The total military personnel employed by the Defence Department this year is 427; the number fast year was 737. The reduction in the civil staff in the past year has been 59, making a total reduction in all ranks of 369.

Clothing for the Territorial Force is being issued this year from existing surplus stocks. The vote on this head is only £2500. The sum of £8000 is provided for the laundering and renovating of partly-worn uniforms. There is a vote of £2000 for rifle shooting prizea; £3000 is provided for subsidy to aviation companies. Special Annuities.

The following special annuities are provided in the estimates of the pensions Department:—Lady Steward, for services rendered by her late husband, £150; Colonel J. G. Hughes, £142, in lieu of superannuation; A. E. Glover, ex-M.P., C. H. Mitts, ex-M.P., and H. G. Ell, exM.P. S £120 each: Mrs. Sarah Lawry, Mrs. Hornsby, widows of exM.P.'s, £100 each; Mrs. Hogg, widow of ex-M.P., £150.

New Zealand's proportion of the secretariat expenses in connection with the League of Nations for the year ending December 31, 1922, is estimated at £6000. Last year the actual expenditure was £9224.

.The Education Department has a vote of £1000 for. New Zealand ensigns for schools. Last year £140 was spent. Last year £2500 was - voted for the purchase of Kirk's' Bush, Papakura, ariS unexpended. The sum of £1600 now appears on the Estimates for this purpose..

THE WIRELESS SERVICES.

HIGHER POWER AT AWANUI. [BX TEEEGBAPH. —SPECIAL BEPOBTES.]

WELLINGTON. Tuesday. Consideration is being given by the Government, Mr. Massey stated in his Budget, to the modernising of the wireless transmitting equipment at the Awanui and the Apia stations, to increase the efficiency of these services and reduce the rates at present charged between New Zealand and the Polynesian Group. This it is hoped will result in the equipment of a first-class high-power wifeless station capable of world-wide communication and opening up, at a reasonable rate, communication with all countries with which New Zealand desires to extend its business relations.