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15

Manufacturing is restricted almost entirely to the Wellington workshops, where the plant is more suitable for this class of work. The principal manufactures during the year consisted of telephone and telegraph equipment, office furnishings, parcel-post boxes, metal rural mail-boxes, wicker parcelpost hampers, and public-telephone cabinets. In addition, rubber stamps were manufactured to meet the requirements of the whole of the Public Service. The returns of the various workshops show that the value of the work performed during the year amounted to a total of £95,025, of which £9,139 represents the value of services rendered to other Departments. STORES BRANCH. The following statement indicates the value of stores received and issued in the Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wellington Storekeeping Districts during the year ended the 31st March, 1929, and the value of stocks held at that date. For the purposes of comparison the particulars for the previous year are shown also : —

Purchases. The total value of stores purchased during the year was £484,218. Of this amount, £186,286 10s. 7d. represented the cost of stores for supply from within the Dominion, while £297,931 represented the cost of stores for supply from overseas. The total value of stores purchased during the previous year was £464,164 9s. 3d. Particulars of purchases arranged on account of other Departments under the Stores Control Board Regulations are set out hereunder. The figures for the previous year are shown also : —

The purchase was arranged of 145 motor-vehieles for other Departments, and of 124 motorvehicles for the Post and Telegraph Department. The figures for the previous year were 95 and 130 respectively. General Contracts. Full advantage is taken of the contracts let by the Stores Control Board. Orders placed under such contracts for cement, motor-spirit, and lubricating-oils amounted to £34,941. At the instance of the Post and Telegraph Department a contract was arranged through the Stores Control Board for the supply of the combined requirements of motor tires and tubes for various Departments. This contract resulted in economy to Government. Orders for Dominion Products. Full preference, as provided in the Customs tariff, has been given to goods manufactured in the Dominion, notwithstanding that this action has involved a greater expenditure than would have been the case had some of the orders been placed overseas. An amount of £12,748 was spent in the purchase of insulator-cups manufactured in the Dominion, and £10,847 in the purchase of 19,856 silver-pine poles. Rata and other timber of a value of £2,949 was obtained for cutting into telegraph arms.

1928-29. 1927-28. .. . , * . ... Stock in hand, t> • i * t * Stock in hand, Receipts* , Issues.* 3lst March, 1929. Reoel P ts -* Issues * 31st March, 1928. £ £ £ £ £ £ Auckland .. 229,089 254,924 100,882 201,514 209,992 126,716 Christchurch .. 151,933 143,869 83,824 163,338 166,310 75,760 Dunedin .. 82,805 101,751 41,051 108,977 111,294 59,997 Wellington .. 376,324 436,499 276,407 507,394 542,047 336,583 Totals .. 840,151 j 937,043 502,164 981,223 1,029,643 599,056 * Excluding transfers within storekeeping districts.

Value of Items purchased. Year ended Requisitions. I terns. ; Total. On Indent. j Locally. I j £ £ £ 31st March, 1929 .. 3,499 14,097 20,305 81,851 102,156 31st March, 1928 .. 3,301 13,529 22,632 91,587 114,219