B. 6

III

Accounted for as follows: —- £ £ Interest and Sinking Fund .. .. .. .. 198,000 Under Special Acts .. .. .. .. 24,862 Old-age Pensions .'. .. .. .. .. 21,000 243,862 Postal Department .. .. .. .. .. 74,700 Working Railways .. .. .. .. .. 181,000 Public Buildings, Domains, &c. . . .. .. 7,600 Minister of Justice .. .. .. .. .. 14,500 Department of Internal Affairs .. .. .. 123,700 Defence Department .. .. .. .. 189,000 Department of Lands and Survey .. .. .. 27,800 Department of Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourists . . 34,800 Education Department .. .. .. .. 87,200 Other Departments .. .. .. .. 20,600 760,900 1,004,762 Savings on — Legislative Departments .. .. .. .. 6,000 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 1,500 £997,262 The cost of the general election and the census caused most of the increase in the expenditure of the Department of Internal Affairs. The large increases in the amounts required for Working Eailways, interest and sinking fund, and Education are unavoidable, unless we alter our policy in regard to railway extension, borrowing, and education. The increase in the expenditure on Defence is due to the introduction of the new system. THE PUBLIC WOEKS FUND. The position is here shown:— £ Balance from last year .. .. .. .. .. 1,140,045 Receipts,— £ Loan-money .. .. .. .. 698,605 Transfer from revenue .. .. 500,000 Other receipts .. .. . . 12,146 1,210,751 2,350,796 Expenditure, — Under appropriations »- .. .. 2,200,745 Other charges .. .. .. 67,471 2,268,216 Balance at 31st March, 1912 .. .. .. 82,580 Balance of loan-money to be received .. . . 1,050,000 Amount available to start the current year with .. .. .. .. £1,132,580