REDUCTIONS IN ESTIMATES

Southland Times, Issue 24164, 28 June 1940, Page 6

REDUCTIONS IN ESTIMATES

Internal Expenses Kept Down

WAR’S EFFECT ON LIFE OF COUNTRY

(United Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 27.

The Estimates which were presented with tonight’s Budget show the marked effect which the war is having on New Zealand’s internal life. There are reductions in quite a number of votes in which increases might reasonably have been expected in other circumstances, and where increases are actually recorded. Most of them are for small amounts in comparison with past years. Under the heading of permanent appropriations the amount expended last year was £17,842,603 while the estimate for the present financial year’s expenditure is £15,133,772. The decrease is because of the transfer last year to the War Expenses Account of the unexpended portion of the Navy, Army and Air Force votes totalling £2,287,826. The amount expended last year under annual appropriations was £19,812,217 while the estimate for this year is £21,650,427, Under the heading of departmental votes the Treasury Department estimate of £60,000 for this year shows an increase of approximately £lO,OOO, this amount being required chiefly for new equipment for the new mechanical accounting system. The Land and Income Tax Department vote of £170,000 this year shows an increase of £15,000 on last year. This is mainly made up by payments to the Post and Telegraph Department for the collection of income tax and Social Security revenue. ART EXHIBITION In the Internal Affairs Department estimate this year of £508,500 there is a reduction on last year’s expenditure of £lO,OOO. This decrease to a large extent is accounted for by the fact that there are no centennial celebrations this year. An interesting item is £2OOO for the National Centennial Exhibition of New Zealand Art in the main cities and towns throughout the Dominion. Most of this sum, however, will be recoverable. There is also a refund of £lll made by the Minister of Finance of his grant of £l2OO in connection with his trip last year to the United Kingdom and another refund dr £2OO of an additional grant made to the Minister of Lands in connection with his visit to Geneva. One of the largest votes in the Estimates is that for the Labour Department of £2,717,722. This amount, however, is a reduction of £164,000 on last year’s expenditure and is mostly due to decreased provision for promotion of employment. BIGGER POLICE FORCE The Police Department vote this year is £645,000, an increase of £17,500 chiefly because of additional staff employed because of the war situation. The maintenance of public works and services vote totals £650,000 this year which is a heavy reduction of £440,000 on last year’s expenditure. This is largely attributable to charges for aerodromes and emergency landing grounds being transferred to the War Expenses Account. A substantial increase is shown in this year’s vote for agriculture of £1,649,000, the increase being £675,000, a large portion of which is for subsidies on the manufacture of fertilizers totalling £630,600. A substantial subsidy of £170,000 for coal production is chiefly responsible for an increase of £175,500 in the Mines Department vote of £250,000. SOCIAL SECURITY The effect of the Social Security scheme is evident in the Health Department vote this year of £1,503,410, a reduction on last year of £15,500. The vote includes a reduction of the subsidy to hospital boards of £119,000 because of the operations of the Social Security Act. The Social Security vote shows that the transfer from the Consolidated Fund to the Social Security Fund has been increased from £1,000,000 last year to £3,200,000 this year. The Social Security Fund vote this year includes hospital benefits £1,237,000, an increase of £462,800 on last year, and maternity benefits £430,000, an increase on the previous year’s expenditure of £167,000. Provision is also made for £lO,OOO each for medical benefits and pharmaceutical benefits. BIG RAILWAYS ACCOUNT The Railways Working Account is the largest vote on the Estimates. The total this year is £8,633,909, an increase of £500,000 which is chiefly to be absorbed in the maintenance of rolling stock.

Four new accounts appear in this year’s estimates. They are the Meat Industry Account of £39,223, the Sundry Products Account of £22,136, the Wool Industry Account of £32,538 and the Fruit Industry Account of £12,108. The Broadcasting Account this year is £313,588, an increase of £61,000. The National Broadcasting Service vote is increased by £42,000 on last year’s expenditure and the Commercial Broadcasting Account by £17,000.

LABOUR DEPARTMENT ESTIMATES

COST OF WATERFRONT SYSTEM

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, June 27.

The Laboui- Department estimates introduced in the House this evening show that under the new waterfront system of commissioner control the salaries for the principal officers total £7600 and .other expenditure £2950, n aking a total of £10,550. Three commissioners at £1250 a year each account for £3750, two waterfront controllers receive £B5O each, two receive £750 each, and there is another who receives £650 a year. Miscellaneous expenditure, including telephones, postages, cleaning, lighting and.so on amounts to £250, office furniture and fittings to £B5O, printing and stationery to £l5O, rent to £7OO and travelling allowances and expenses, including transfers, to £lOOO. Six wharf superintendents are provided for at £6OO each, making an additional £3600. Provision for salaries in the clerical division totals £llO5 and £45 is voted for lodging allowances. The aggregate expenditure under all these headings is £15,290.