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not possible in every case, a full cash recovery was not effected. It will be seen r however, from the following statement that the net cost to Government funds for operating the detention camps was £68,985 for the year : £ Operating costs .. .. .. .. -.. .. .. 104,697' Less cash recoveries from other Departments on account of work performed .. .. .. .. .. 16,653 88,044 Less value of work performed for other Departments not yet recovered 19,059' Net operating charge to Government funds .. .. £68,985 43. Against the total net cost of £91,412, including capital and operational charges, must be credited the sum of £3,110 received from the disposal of surplus assets. (b) Emergency Fire Service (£4,037) 44. As stated in the previous year's annual report, the Emergency Fire Service as a separate entity no longer exists. The gross expenditure during the year ended 31st March, 1946, amounted to £22,042, the main items in which were £13,614 for motor-trucks purchased in previous years and £5,814 paid in subsidies to brigade controlling authorities in Auckland and Wellington for the fire protection of buildings containing war stores. The gross, expenditure was offset by recoveries amounting to> £18,005, including the sum of £16,415, being adjustments in the hose accounts between Ministry of Supply, the High Commissioner's Office, and this Department. Against the net expenditure of £4,037 should be offset the sum of £2,380 received from the sale of surplus assets. (c) Emergency Precautions Scheme (£17,605) 45. While the Emergency Precaution Scheme is no longer in operation, subsidy amounting to £14,448 was paid to E.P.S. organizations during the year. In the main,, this figure covered outstanding claims from the previous year, but it was also necessary to subsidize the current expenses of the Auckland and Wellington organizations which were still engaged in disposing of subsidized stores and equipment. The sum of £42,396 received from the disposal of surplus assets should be offset against the net expenditure of £17,605 shown above. (d) Home Guard 46. The figures shown in the table under this heading cover the expenditure incurred by the Department for the Home Guard from the time of its inception to 31st July,. 1941, when the control was transferred to the Army Department. % (e) Industrial Mobilization (£118,844) 47. The main items of expenditure under this heading were payment of financial assistance (£22,207), travelling-expenses (£16,682), loss of earnings (£1,435), and separation allowances (£27,526) to workers directed under the Industrial Man-power Emergency Eegulations, 1944, to essential undertakings ; reimbursement of travellingexpenses (£699) to members of Man-power Utilization Councils and Committees; establishment charges (£18,857) in connection with workers' camps at Auckland ; and furniture and equipment (£25,439) supplied in previous years to the war workers* hostels in the Hutt Valley and Wellington.

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