B.—l [PT. IV].

HAURAKI PLAINS SETTLEMENT SCHEME. Rate Account for year ended 31st March, 1936. Dr. £ s. d. Or. £ s . d. Maintenance of completed works .. .. 1,513 17 2 Balance brought forward .. .. .. 2,154 3 6 Remission of rates .. .. .. .. 86 9 10 Rates levied .. .. .. .. .. 1,500 18 0 Balance .. .. .. .. .. 2,111 17 5 Penalty, 10 per cent. .. .. .. 57 2 11 £3,712 4 5 £3,712 4 5 Revenue Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1936. Dr. £ s. d. Cr. £ s . d. Interest on Public Works Fund capital .. .. 35,971 4 9 Accrued rents .. .. .. .. 9,555 6 5 Kaihere Ferry expenses .. .. .. 229 6 1 Interest on sales of land .. .. .. 937 7 6 Administration expenses .. .. .. 438 19 0 Grazing fees .. . . .. .. 184 15 1. Remissions of rent .. .. .. .. 497 11 5 Ferry fares .. .. .. .. 207 18 6 Remissions of interest .. .. . . 50 19 2 Kaihere Ferry: Half-loss charged to County Rebates .. .. .. .. .. 622 15 5 Council .. .. .. .10 13 10 Irrecoverable costs, &c. .. .. .. 25 11 4 Hire of plant .. .. .. .. 174 n 5 Premiums on conversion .. .. .. 14 10 0 Forfeited deposits .. .. .. .. 2 0 0 Royalties .. .. .. .. .. 110 0 Net loss carried down .. .. .. 26,776 14 5 £37,850 17 2 " £37,850 17 2 £ s- d. £ s . d. Net loss brought down .. .. .. 26,776 14 5 Balance carried forward .. .. .. 255,578 3 11 Balance from previous year .. .. .. 228,801 9 6 £255,578 3 11 £255,578 3 11 Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1936. Liabilities. Assets. Capital Account— £ s. d. £ s. d. Improved lands handed over to Public Works Fund .. .. 850,482 1 2 Land Board for settlement— £ s. d. £ s. d. Value of Crown land set apart Leased .. .. .. 179,934 19 11 under Aet .. .. 45,000 0 0 Unleased .. .. .. 11,709 16 895,482 1 2 Unpaid purchase-money for Employment Promotion Fund capital .. .. 8,593 15 5 land sold on deferred payDischarged Soldiers Settlement Account: Merged ment .. .. .. 17,442 0 0 transactions under section 20, Discharged 209 086 1 5 Soldiers Settlement Act, 1923 .. .. 411 14 0 Unimproved-value land not disposed of .. 41,908 3 11 Sundry creditors— £ s. d. Improvements on adjoining Crown lands .. 7,710 0 0 Miscellaneous .. .. 363 210 Permanent reserves .. .. .. .. 8,851 0 0 Departmental .. .. 210 7 Works in progress: Expenditure on land in course 365 13 5 of reclamation, including formation and metalling Rent charged in advance .. .. .. 2,297 19 5 of roads .. .. .. .. .. 572,127 611 Rate Account .. .. .. .. 2,111 17 5 Capital expenditure: Employment Promotion Payments in advance— £ s. d. Fund .. .. .. .. .. 8,593 15 5 Rent .. .. .. 48 15 3 Artesian wells— £ s. d. Rates .. .. .. 12 4 0 Crown tenants, Hauraki Plains 351 4 0 Instalment of principal on de- Permanent reserves and Crown ferred-payment sales .. 36 10 3 lands .. .. .. 216 10 9 Instalment of interest on de- 507 14 9 ferred-payment sales .. 22 5 7 Buildings .. .. .. .. .. 4,079 711 119 15 1 Wharves .. .. .. .. 3,200 0 0 Suspense Account .. .. .. .. 59 19 8 Machinery and plant .. .. .. .. 33,508 15 11 Writings-off in Suspense .. .. .. 198 15 10 Live-stock .. .. .. .. .. 24 17 6 Deposits by lessees : Surety against drain-damage 10 0 0 Loose tools .. .. .. .. .. 901 15 1 Treasury Adjustment Account .. .. 257,037 5 9 Stores .. .. .. .. .. 4,747 7 1 Stamps on hand .. .. .. .. 0 10 Sundry debtors— £ s. d. Rent .. .. .. 3,766 19 7 Rates .. .. .. 3,315 6 4 Instalment of principal on de-ferred-payment sales .. 125 6 0 Instalment of principal on buildings .. .. 1 17 0 Interest on well-boring .. 11l 17 8 Interest on deferred - payment sales .. .. .. 455 17 7 Law-costs .. .. 119 13 5 Tram freights and ferry fares.. 29 17 6 Grazing .. ..' .. 119 10 0 Miscellaneous .. .. 5,185 16 7 Departmental .. .. 553 18 10 13,786 0 6 Postponed rent .. .. .. .. 1,406 10 10 Postponed instalments of principal .. .. 11 10 0 Postponed interest .. .. .. .. 55 9 2 Losses in Suspense .. .. .. .. 198 15 10 Interest accrued but not due .. .. .. 234 10 0 Premiums on conversion .. .. .. 101 10 0 Cash in Deposits Account .. .. .. 10 0 0 Revenue Account: Balance forward .. .. 255,578 311 £1,166,688 17 2 £1,166,688 17 2 W. Robertson, Under-Secretary for Lands. Wm. E. Shaw, Chief Accountant. I hereby certify that the Rate and Revenue Accounts and Balance-sheet have been duly examined and compared with the relative books and documents submitted for audit, and correctly state the position as disclosed thereby. The following comments are appended: (1) In the opinion of the Audit Office, interest charged on works in progress should be capitalized. (2) A Bad Debts Reserve should be created. (3) Suggestions in reference to the treatment of expenditure on lands already handed over for settlement were made to and are at present under consideration by the Department. (4) No charge for the cost of exchange on payments made in London is included in the Account.—J. H. Fowler, Deputy-Controller and Auditor-General.

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