H—lla

(/) Women's Land Service (£24,046) 48. The main items of expenditure under this heading were uniforms and equipment (£9,857), uniform upkeep allowance (£14,067), travel concessions (£3,590), and subsidy (£795) paid to employers for the training of inexperienced girls. (g) Women's War Service Auxiliary (£197) 49. The expenditure under this heading covered outstanding claims for uniforms and badges. As against this, £36 was received from the disposal of surplus equipment. (iii) National Employment Service (£182,020) 50. With the enactment of the Employment Act, 1945, the establishment of a new vote within the Consolidated Fund to provide for the expenditure of the National Employment Service became necessary. Consequently, provision was made in the supplementary estimates last year for the new vote, " National Employment Service." During the year ended 31st March, 1946, expenditure was incurred under the following items : (a) Salary of Director of Employment (£408) 51. The Director of National Service assumed also the duties of Director of Employment, and the above amount represents the portion of his salary chargeable against the National Employment Service. (b) Administration Expenses (£70,000) 52. As explained in Part (i) above, this amount was assessed as the proportion of administration expenses met by vote, " National Service " in the first instance in connection with the National Employment Service and subsequently recovered by that vote. (c) Home Aid Service (£614) 53. The gross amount spent under this item was £1,375, including the sum of £325 for uniforms for Home Aids. The gross direct cost of operating the Service, excluding uniforms, was therefore £1,050, against which £758 was recovered from householders who were supplied with the services of the Aids. This leaves a net direct operational charge of £292, which is accounted for in the main by the reduction of charges to necessitous cases. Including the sum of £3zs for uniforms, the net charge to the Department for the Home Aid Service to 31st March, 1946, was £614. (d) Public Service Hostels (£4,368) 54. The expenditure under this item was incurred by the hostel for Government cadets at Oriental Bay, Wellington. The gross amount spent to 31st March, 1946, was £7,220, but included in this sum were capital charges amounting to £4,675. The gross operational cost, not including accounts outstanding at 31st March, 1946, was therefore £2,545, against which board amounting to £2,835 was paid by the residents, and a miscellaneous recovery of £l2 received. On a cash basis, therefore, revenue exceeded operational costs by £302. This makes no allowance, however, for the rental value of the premises or for Head Office administrative expenses. The net charge to the Department to 31st March, 1946, was £4,368.

13