B.—l

Summary of Services chargeable on the Consolidated Fund.

I have already explained the increase in the interest expenditure. I have also referred to an increase under the Acts authorizing permanent payments, owing to the honararium being transferred from an annual to a constant vote. Other items of increase under permanent Acts are those for the payments which have to be made to the Harbour Boards of Westport and Greymouth under the Acts of last year. It will be remembered that, although those Boards were gifted with certain endowments, the management, it was provided, was still to remain in the hands of the Public Works Department. Hence the full receipts are carried to public revenue, and the payments are made under the authority of the Acts themselves. The reduction in the Colonial Secretary's Department is partly due to a less vote for charitable aid. I hope, if the Bill we are introducing be passed, that the amount in future years will be much less. The items electoral and audit also show savings. The Treasury shows a decrease on the whole, notwithstanding the heavy item of £15,000 for revaluing under the Property-Tax Act and the sums set down for the Exhibitions. The savings are on salaries and on the large item of last year —exchange and commission. The Postal Department shows apparently a considerable increase. It is occasioned by the necessity of placing the amount on the Estimates for payments for the direct mail service with England, although those payments, exclusive of bonuses, are to come out of postages. The receipts are, however, taken into account in the estimates of revenue. There are additions for ordinary purposes. The Postal Department becomes larger each year. The increases of salaries are only for cadets and clerks of £10 each, on salaries less than £120 a year. In the Customs Department there is increased expenditure for a new steamlaunch, for rent at Auckland, and for a few other items, including expenditure for repairs to the " Hinemoa " and ".Stella." In the Stamp Department there is a small saving on the votes of last year. The Education Department shows the usual increases for capitation allowances. The Native Department increase is more seeming than real: some small portion of the expenditure last year was charged to the Civil List. The Mines Department shows a small increase on last year's vote, which my colleague the Minister of Mines will take an opportunity of explaining, as also other mining expenditure proposed to be charged

XII

1884-85. 188. ;-86. Voted. Expended. £ £ £ £ Peemanent Appeopeiations— Civil List Interest and Sinking Fund Under Special Acts of the Legislature 29,750 1,667,873 102,484 1,800,107 29,750 1,559,115 53,724 31,598 1,570,989 65,093 Annual Appeopeiations— Class I.—Legislative Class II. —Colonial SecretaryClass III.—Colonial Treasurer Class IV. —Minister of Justice Class V. —Postmaster-General and Commissioner of Telegraphs ... Class VI.—Commissioner of Customs Class VII. —Commissioner of Stamps Class VIII. —Minister of Education Class IX. —Minister for Native Affairs ... Class X.—Minister of Mines Class XL —Minister for Public Works ... Class XII. —Minister of Defence 1,642,589 1,667,680 17,572 221,568 49,312 116,660 67,767 241,854 52,688 118,754 66,943 251,763 58,166 117,405 279,518 86,874 26,451 361,186 19,944 24,610 756,591 211,740 262,802 85,288 27,496 340,482 18,611 23,808 751,438 185,466 255,161 80,979 25,964 334,197 17,934 15,585 714,846 182,586 2,172,026 Total Expenditure on Ordinary Eevenue Account 3,972,133 3,819,043 3,789,209