LAST YEAR'S EXPENDITURE.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13419, 17 May 1912, Page 4

LAST YEAR'S EXPENDITURE.

TREASURY FIGURES AVAILABLE.

EDUCATION PASSES THE MILLION MARK.

(Special to "Tha Colonist.")

Wellington, May 16. A Brief reference to tJic expenditure out of the consolidated rovenue during the financial year, ended March 31st'. was mad© by the Prime- Minister a. few weeks ago, when announcing that the year closed with a surplus o£ £805,095. TJic* detailed figures gazett-ed to-night show that the expenditure on annual appropriations increased last year by £753,494. There were small decreases in the expenditurel of the Finance, Native and Legislative Departments, but otherwise there- was an all round heightening of ■expenditure, in. which defence and .education figure largely. Among the permanent appropriations is the sum of £386,962 spent on old age- pensions. This shows an increase of £20,927 compared with the* previous year, and there is also the small total of £1961 to represent tlio iirst few months' pensions to widows under the new sehame.

Details of the expenditure on arwrnal appropriations, showing the increases compared with the previous year, are a* under set out: —Expenditure account: permanent appropriations £3,888,618, increase £243.769. Annual appropriations, Legislative Department £31,628/ decrease £6012 ; Department of Finance £47,448, decrease. £575; Post and Telegraph Department, £98,652 increase £74,707; Working Railways Department £2,451,717, increase £180,904:. Public Buildings, Domains and Maintenance of Roads Department £88,745, increase £7642; Native Department, £20,724, decrease £937; Justic© Department, £384,720, increase £14,539; Mines Department £24,843, increase £2,387 ; Doparfcmcn.it of Internal Affairs £385,836, increase £123,695; Defence Department £401,870, inere.ae*! £196.----60 1; Customs, Marino and Harbours ? and Inspection of Ivlaeiunery i/opart^ ments £118,527, decrcasa £3791; Department of Labour £25,245, increase £2,52(3; Department of Lands and Survey £234,500, increase £27,840; Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists £219.434, increase £34,----856; Education Department £1,012,048. increase £79,602; services not provided for £19,932, increase £11,905; total £6,453,750, increase £753,494.