H.—ll.

STAFF NOTES. The staff of the Department now totals 136, and is composed as follows: Head Office—-Adminis-trative, 5 ; clerical, 17. District offices —Inspection, 64 ; clerical, 43. Conciliation Commissioners, 2 ; Court of Arbitration (members and staff), 5. In addition, some 180 other persons, mostly officers of other Departments, give part-time services as agents in small towns. The Inspectors include experts in scaffolding-erection and building-construction, in the manufacture and use of weights and measures and mechanical appliances as used in factories, and also in the composition of footwear. EXPENDITURE DURING THE YEAR, Salaries, temporary clerical assistance, allowance to officers performing higher duties, and £ allowance to police and other officers acting as departmental agents .. . . . . 37,489 Advertising and publications .. .. .. . . .. . . . . 583 Fares, board and lodging, &c., advanced to persons proceeding to employment (see refunds below) .. .. . . .. .. .. . . . . . . 324 Fees paid to assessors of Industrial Councils .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,439 Legal and witnesses' expenses (see refunds, below) .. . . .. . . .. 117 Postage, telegrams, telephones, and rent of letter-boxes .. .. .. .. 2,080 Printing and stationery .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,467 Purchase of standard weights and measures .. .. .. .. .. .. 200 Office requisites, fuel and lighting . . .. .. .. . . . . .. 854 Rent and rates on office accommodation .. . . . . . . . . .. 1,169 Travelling allowances and expenses of Inspectors, members of Court of Arbitration, Conciliation Commissioners, assessors on Conciliation Councils, &c., bicycles, motor-cycles, and motorcars, and maintenance thereof .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10,150 Upkeep of departmental residence .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 14 Miscellaneous expenditure— £ Arbitration Court and Conciliation Councils .. .. .. .. 31 General . . .. . . .. . . .. .. .. 266 — 297 57,183 Less refunds— Fares .. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. 334 Legal and witnesses' expenses . . .. .. . . 69 Sale of publications .. .. . . .. .. . . .. 178 Travelling-expenses recovered from defendants in cases taken by Department and from persons to whom weights and measures services were rendered 529 From Government Statistician, for services of officers .. .. ..210 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 Freight recovered from persons to whom weights and measures services were rendered .. .. .. .. .. .. 72 — 1,457 £55,726 The above figures do not include a number of items for which provision for payment is made elsewhere than in the Department's vote—viz., salaries of Judge and members of Court of Arbitration (£3.500), messenger services, cleaning, &c.

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