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The above return of stores purchased includes all articles of a consumable or non-consumable nature required in carrying out the services of Government Departments, including books, forms, stationery, and office requisites, furniture, fittings, mechanical office appliances, motor-cars and other vehicles, implements, plant and machinery, live-stock, and all Government personal property of any description. When compared with the year ended 31st March, 1938, the amount expended in the purchase of stores for all Government Departments during the year ended 31st March, 1939, shows an increase of £2,332,091. The total amounts expended during each of the past ten years were as under : — £ £ 1930 .. .. .. 4,345,030 1935 .. .. .. 2,939,642 1931 .. .. .. 4,286,803 1936 .. .. .. 3,251,814 1932 ..• .. .. 2,757,214 1937 .. .. .. 5,349,386 1933 \. .. .. 2,109,698 1938 .. .. .. 7,515,063 1934 .. .. .. 2,417,676 1939 .. .. .. 9,847,154 Contracts. At the 31st March, 1939, contracts arranged by the Board were in operation for the supply of the undermentioned items to all Departments : — Batteries for motor-vehicles. Bricks, earthenware pipes and fittings. Brushware, painters' and general. Candles, soap, and soda. Cement. Chain-mesh netting. Coal, coke, and firewood. Cream-separators. Cyclostyle stencils and correcting fluid. Diesel engines for driving milking-plant, &c. Disinfectant. Electric lamps. Fencing-wire. Fire-extinguishers. Galvanized sheets, corrugated and flat. Ink, cyclostyle, fountain-pen, and writing. Lawnmowers. Milking-machines. Motor-vehicle lubricating oils and greases. Motor-spirit and kerosene. Motor-tires. Office diaries. Oil fuels and lubricating-oil for Diesel engines. Oxygen, acetylene, and hydrogen gases. Paper, carbon, toilet, and wrapping. Polish, metal, floor, and boot. Sensitized papers and linens. Spare parts for motor-vehicles. Superphosphate and compound superphosphate fertilizers. Tubes and fittings, galvanized and malleable. Twine. Typewriters and typewriter-ribbons. Uniform clothing. In addition to the above, numerous departmental contracts were also arranged throughout the year, thejprincipal items concerned being : — Aero-engine lubricating-oil. Artificial limbs. Aviation spirit. Boots and shoes for Army and Air Departments. Creosote for Forestry Department. Crockery for Mental Hospitals Department. Foodstuffs (sugar, milk, bread, butter, meat, fish, hams, and bacon, &c.). Oil fuel for Government ships. Lubricating-oil for m.v. " Maui Pomare." Malted milk for milk-in-schools scheme. Medicines for Native schools. Samoan banana-cases. Skip-greaso and lubricating-oils for Mines Department. Tobacco for Mental Hospitals Department. Tooth-brushes for Naval ratings. The service rendered by contractors throughout the year has, in general, been efficient and satisfactory.

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