8.—4.

10. We have in the limited time available carefully considered many aspects of Government expenditure, and have come to the conclusion that there are numerous economies which could be effected and which would go far towards a balanced Budget. We refer particularly to the curtailment or abolition of services which the State has given to the taxpayer in previous years but can no longer be justified under existing conditions. 11. The expenditure of the State may briefly be divided into two categories :■ — (a) Permanent charges. (b) Annual appropriations. We have found it desirable to consider first of all the question of permanent charges, as by far the greater pari; of the national expenditure comes under this category. The 'permanent charges do not come under the annual review of Parliament. They are fixed by various Acts of the Legislature, and, although shown in the annual appropriations, cannot be reviewed in Committee of Supply. 12. The appropriations for the year ending 31st March, 1932, total £24,627,561, made up as follows :— CONSOLIDATED FUND. Ordinary Revenue Account. Permanent appropriations— £ Civil List .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 28,361 Interest .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8,940,675 Sinking Fund .. .. .. .. . . . . .. .. 3,202 Repayment of public debt .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,203,298 Reduction of funded debt .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 236,796 Transfer to Loans Redemption Account . . .. .. .. .. 3,000 Administration and management .. .. .. .. .. .. 35,600 Payment on guaranteed loans . . .. .. .. ~ .. 7,200 Under special Acts of the Legislature .. .. .. .. .. .. 7,257,756 17,715,888 Annual appropriations — Vote, Legislative Department .. .. . , .. .. .. 95,677 ~ Prime Minister's Department .. .. .. .. .. .. 15,553 ~ Treasury Department .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33,986 ~ National Provident and Friendly Societies Department .. .. .. 4,670 ~ Land and Income Tax Department .. .. .. .. 68,067 ~ Stamp Duties Department .. .. .. , .. .. 92,722 „ Public Buildings .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60,712 „ Maintenance and Repairs to Roads . .. .. .. .. 14,950 ~ Maintenance of Irrigation Works, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 14,250 ~ Native Department .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 67,725 „ Department of External Affairs .. .. .. .. .. .. 8,097 ~ Department of Industries and Commerce, Tourist, and Publicity .. .. 130,941 ~ Department of Justice .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 137,591 ~ Prisons Department .. .. .. .. .. ~ .. 91,369 ~ Crown Law Office .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,266 „ Police Department .. .. .. .. . . . . . . 424,188 ~ Pensions Department .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 162,849 ~ Mines Department .. .. .. . .. .. .. 21,679 ~ Department of Internal Affairs .. .. .. .. .. 197,884 „ Audit Department .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25,116 „ Public Service Commissioner's Office ~ .. .. .. .. 5,859 ~ Printing and Stationery Department .. .. .. .. .. 174,779 ~ Mental Hospitals Department .. .. .. .. .. .. 271,840 ~ Department of Health .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 210,005 ~ Naval Defence .. .. .. .. ~ .. .. 394,045 „ Defence Department .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 215,000 „ Customs Department .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 89,911 ~ Marine Department .. .. .. .. .. 104,228 ~ Department of Labour .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 48,867 „ Department of Lands and Survey .. .. .. .. .. 181,669 s, Valuation Department .. .. .. .. .. , 40,732 „ Electoral Department .. .. .. . . ~ , . . . 69,218 „ Department of Agriculture .. .. . . .. .. .. 469,280 „ Department of Education .. .. , , .. 2,906,728 „ Department of Scientific and Industrial Research .. .. ~ .. 51,463 ~ Transport Department .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,757 6,911,673 Total Ordinary Revenue Account .. .. . .. £24,627,561

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