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A summary of the vote, with 1942-43 figures in parentheses for comparative purposes, is given below :— Expenditure. Ilevenue. Appropriated. Paid out. Appropriated. .Received. £ £ £ £ ££ (££ Administrative services .. 561,473 (524,087) 585,231 (501,351) 138,000(137,605) 155,193 (144,580) Payments under statute .. 104,500 (102,360) 108,845 (105,283) 1,250 (1,000) 2,866 (1,616) Miscellaneous advances, &c. .. 486,570 (471,363) 505,677 (460,893) 23,205 (23,205) 24,294 (24,967) Totals .. ..1,152,543(1,097,810) 1,199,753(1,007,527) 162,455(161,810) 182,383(171,163) Less oredits-in-aid .. 162,455 182,353 Net totals .. .. 990,088 1,017,400 The usual financial transactions, mainly revenue, under special Acts and Deposit Accounts yielded about £83,000, and after dealing with outgoings under deposits, approximately a net £73,000 remained as available revenue. War Expenses Account involved substantial expenditure, and in so far as the vegetable-production activity was concerned there was considerable revenue. In round figures, War Expenses Account expenditure amounted to £2,089,000, adjusting credits to £548,000, and vegetable-production revenue to £188,000, leaving net expenditure at £1,353,000. Indirectly there has also been association with considerable expenditure directly brought to charge by other Departments.

LIVE-STOCK DIVISION REPORT OF W. C. BARRY, DIRECTOR The past year was not a very favourable one from a production point of view. Owing to a dry autumn in many parts of the country feed for the winter was scarce. The rather severe winter made extra demands on the feed available, and some reduction in stock carried was enforced on owners. A problem of some importance under such conditions was the maintenance of the liquid-milk supply to cities and towns throughout the country. Some losses in cattle, both dairy and beef cattle, were experienced in the areas where the dry autumn was a most important factor in bringing about a scarcity of feed. Health of Live-stock Horses have remained healthy during the year. There has been no outbreak of serious disease in cattle and sheep. Scheduled Diseases in Cattle Tuberculosis. —The number of cattle condemned under the Stock Act for tuberculosis during the year ended 31st December, 1943, amounted to 5,475 head, 4,790 being condemned on clinical symptoms and 685 reactors to the tuberculin test. The tuberculin test was apjjlied to 12,686 cattle,, of which number 685 reacted, giving a percentage of 5-4. At the owners' request 5,183 cattle were tested. Actinomycosis and Actinobacillosis. —The number of animals condemned for this disease was 631, a large number being successfully treated. Malignant Groivth —The number of animals condemned for malignant growth was 268. In all cases compensation was paid in accordance with the Stock Act. Anthrax.—The vaccination of animals on previously-affected farms is being carried out with satisfactory results. Blackleg. —The number of calves vaccinated against this disease in Taranaki was 12,235 and in Auckland 31,996, making a total of 44,231. In the Auckland district there were 283 outbreaks of this disease, as compared with 161 last year. Johne's Disease. —In the Taranaki district 49 animals affected with this disease were dealt with during the year. Non-scheduled Diseases The incidence of disease associated with calving in dairy herds was low last spring. Contagious abortion and mammitis still continue as serious diseases for the dairy-farmer. Sheep A late cold spring was experienced in Otago and the result was losses in ewe flocks from pregnancy toxaemia. The disease of entero-toxsemia in lambs is controlled by vaccination of the ewes. In addition, some trials were carried out by the use of specially-prepared sera injected into ambs under control methods. Losses from parasitic infestation have varied in several districts, while some losses following dipping have again been recorded.

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