EXPENDITURE OF GOVERNMENT

Southland Times, Issue 25747, 10 August 1945, Page 6

EXPENDITURE OF GOVERNMENT

INTEREST ON PUBLIC DEBT RISES

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 9. The estimates of expenditure for the current year tabled in the House of Representatives tonight by the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, show that the permanent appropriations are estimated at £24,995,823, compared with £27,988,394 last year. Interest on the Public Debt shows an increase of £900,000 and repayment of the Public Debt an increase of £350,000, but this year it is proposed to charge only £412,503 to other special acts, compared with £4,656,400 last year. I The marked decrease under this heading is explained by the fact that £4,000,000 was transferred to the War Expenses Account last year, whereas no such transfer is proposed this year. The upward trend of most votes is explained in part by the fact that provision has been made for a full year’s increase in salaries for the Public Service. It should also be noted that in the cases of all the separate accounts which had credits in aid last year, these credits are this year shown as revenue receipts within the particular account. A similar procedure has also been followed with accounts outside the Public Accounts, except for the Post and Telegraph Working Expenses Account and the Telegraph Extension Account. In the following details of some of the departmental votes the estimated expenditure for this year is given first, followed by the actual expenditure for last year®in parentheses. All the figures are given in pounds and where the votes are not given there is little variation:— VOTES FOR CONSOLIDATED FUND External, Affairs.—£2o7,9B7 (£177,023). Items under this vote include: Contribution to League of Nations expenses, £20,638 (£13,876); Washington Legation, £42,941 (£50,430); High Commissioner’s Office in London, £101,646 (£86,990); High Commissioner’s Office in Canberra, £9383 (£12,201); Moscow Legation, £28,890 (£14,838). The increase is partly due to the fact that the vote is for a full year on this occasion. One interesting item is the provision of £2OOO as New Zealand’s contribution to the expenses of the British-American Co-operative Press Service, to which the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia also contribute. This service provides for translating and preparing digests of Russian newspapers, periodicals, books, etc., New Zealand paying one-seventh of the total cost. COST OF DECENTRALIZATION Land and Income Tax.—£363,383 (£211,112). The increase includes £42,000 for salaries and £96,000 for expenses incidental to decentralization. Stamp Duties.—£l64,372 (£136,407). The refund of racing revenue from patriotic race meetings is estimated at £40,000 ' this year, compared with £31,000 last year, Internal Affairs.—£6l3,B33 (£585,815). Items include £9OOO for the expenses of commissions of inquiry, compared with £1993 last year, the increase being chiefly for the Royal Commission on Licensing. A new item is £l5OO for the administration of the new southern lakes acclimatization district, plus a grant of £lOO for a rod and gun club in the same district. HEALTH EDUCATION Health Department. — £2,588,636 (£2,162,551), including health education and publicity, £26,000 (£16,411), grants to hospital boards to cover the capital cost of providing accommodation for tuberculosis cases, £20,000 (£10,154), the supply of milk to school children, £190,000 (£172,163).-The free issue of milk is now available to 235,701 children. Subsidies to hospital boards this year are estimated at £1,575,000, compared with £1,324,024 last year. War and Other Pensions.—£4,26B,B33 (£3,840,335), including pensioners from this war, £1,850,000 (£1,407,460). Social Security Department (contribution to Social Security Fund).— £7,000,000 (£4,500,000).