STATE EXPENDITURE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19302, 1 October 1932, Page 5

STATE EXPENDITURE

COMMISSION’S REPORT. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS (Special to “ The Herald.") WELLINGTON, September 30. The final report of the National Expenditure Commission, which was presented in the House of Representatives to-day, covers 176 closely printed pages. Excerpts reveal at a glance the following major economies:— Immediate steps should be taken to reduce the cost of the administration of the Government motor ship, Maui Pomare.

Expenditure on Cook Islands and Niue Island administration should be reduced from £21,633 to £IO.OOO, particularly should expenditure on education be reduced.

A thorough overhaul of the expenditure and establishment of the mandated territory of Western Samoa should be undertaken at the earliest moment with a view to relieving the New Zealand taxpayer, as far as may be practicable of the cost of Samoan administration.

Without exception tourist activity in 1930-31 resulted in very substantial losses. The Melbourne office should be closed. Adequate representation could be obtained in Sydney at £ISOO per year. A saving of £4300 is shown here. The position of Trade Representative in Canada should be abolished. Chateau Should Be Sold. The Chateau Tongariro should be disposed of to private enterprise, or failing this, it would be more economical to close the Chateau and appoint caretakers to look after the assets. The Hermitage, Mount Cook, undertaking is leased, but the rental return to the Department does not cover interest on capital and depreciation. There \z a loss of over £ISOO per annum on this account, but no remedy appears possible at the present time. The Commission is definitely of the opinion that the development of tourist traffic and the running of hostels should be left to private enterprise. The Rotorua sanitarium should be amalgamated with King George V. Hospital. Hostels and Glade House and the Milford Track should be sold. The Dominion publicity service should be reduced by 25 per cent., which would show a saving of £5500. The vote for Census Statisticians’ Department should not exceed £17,500 (now £21,488). Reduced Payment to Jurors. The amount paid to jurors in criminal and civil cases, now 10/6 a day, should be reduced to 6/-. Estimated saving £ISOO. That the forty-five hospital districts be abolished, with base hospitals in the centres and district or chronic hospitals throughout the individual areas. Reorganisation of medical treatment at hospitals, including the formation of proper outpatient clinics at all base hospitals. The Railway Department Reserve should not be used for new capital purposes. The necessity for the abolition of the Main Highway Revenue Fund is pressed again. By this means only could real and sustained economy in roading expenditure be obtained, and the commencement of grandoise projects years ahead of requirements be avoided. A Land Transfer Office and one Stamp Duties’ Office in each of the four main centres should amply cover requirements. To-day there are many branch offices. Reduced Allowances. Administrative positions in the public service to be filled by officers selected chiefly because of administrative ability. Telephones in private residences should not be paid for by the Government. Allowances in addition to salary should be subjected to close overhaul by essential autnorities with a view to the cancellation of many existing allowances. A committee of officers should be set up with authority to deal with salaries, wages, grading, working conditions, and privileges throughout the whole of the State services. More rigid control of departmental. motor-cars, to reduce the excessive number in use and huge expenditure entailed. Departmental loans should be con-

trolled by the Investment Board of the State Advances Department or the Treasury. A fee of 10 6 be charged for each appeal to the Public Service Commissioner’s Office. Hotel Fees. The Commission can see no reason why hotels in metropolitan areas should pay the same fefe as small country hotels. The scale of fees should be revised, with a considerably higher fee for the licenses of metropolitan hotels. Fees paid by chartered clubs also appear to be low. The Prisons Department and Justice Department should be amalgamated. A charge should be made for all legal work carried out by the Crown Law Office for such Departments as the Post and Telegraph. New Zealand Railways, State Coal Mines and other trading Departments which at present receive free service. The Police Department appears to be economically administered and the Commission makes no recommendation in regard to the vote of £456,672. No further assistance towards prospecting for gold and other minerals should be given, as considerable expenditure is now being incurred by the Unemployment Board. A saving of £7OOO. Social Services. The Mental Hospitals population is increasing by approximately 240 per annum. If this increase is maintained there must be a heavy charge for new buildings and equipment. There is still a resident mental hospitals’ population of 800, for whom there is no proper accommodation. The position is grave. For the erection of mental hospital buildings the sum of £160,000 is immediately required to relieve congestion. A drastic reduction in social services provided by the Health Department cannot be avoided. A saving of £2OOO should be made on Maori hygiene. Nurses employed in the division of School Hygiene should no longer receive a free issue of uniforms or a uniform allowance. The staff should be reduced by at least one-third, including medical officers and nurses. School Dental Services. The school dental service should not be allowed to expand. No new trainees should be enrolled. Local committees should find an additional £7O per nurse annually, making a total of £IOO per nurse. The Government subsidy on school dental services should not exceed pound for pound on local contributions. Present scales of pay in the Defence Force are on too liberal a basis. Allowances to permanent force members are not Justified as salaries paid a.re sufficient to enable officers to provide uniforms.

Ammunition Contract. The present small arms ammunition contract between the Defence Department and the Colonial Ammunition Company is unsatisfactory. It should be reviewed, and, if possible, termin- ■ ated. Of the six Schools of Mines, two should be closed. The gold dealer’s fee should be increased from £1 to £5/5, -. j One private secretary should suffice J for each Minister of the Crown. A < saving of £2OOO. . ' Special allowances to Ministers j messengers should be abolished. ' The High Commissioner’s office staff should be reduced. The cost of this , office is £25.511. placed under the control of a Board of Trustees. A stricter control of acclimatisation sites is recommended to ensure that j their activities in the control of pests, j such as deer, are carried out. The full charge for examination of accounts should be made by the Audit Department.