H—4s

The levies received for year ended 31st March, 1949, amounted to £366,966, which was £31,399 less than the amount received from the same source for 1947-48. Despite the reduction in the rate, the income from levies was still £16,966 in excess of the estimated return of £350,000, but this is accounted for by the increase in waterfront work noted in 1947-48 being maintained. The analysis of income and expenditure for the fund is given according to the four main subdivisions of expenditure as follows : (i) Annual Holidays.—The income to cover payment of annual holidays to watersideworkers in terms of the Annual Holidays Act, 1944, is based on nine thirty-seconds of total National Administration Fund levies. For 1948-49 this proportion amounts to £103,209, which is £8,831, or 7-88 per cent., less than 1947-48. Expenditure on union and non-union holiday pay (including administration assessment of 2-| per cent, oil income as for a separate fund) increased by £4,647, or 4-59 per cent., to £105,962 as compared with 1947-48. Rates of annual holiday pay were increased by lOd. per halfday (for unionists) and 0-lOd. per paid hour (for non-unionists) as from sth October, 1947. These higher rates have applied for the full year during 1948-49 as compared with only six months in 1947-48. Following the further increase in basic rates of'pay as from 14th February, 1949 (see Rates of Pay, page 00), the rates of annual holiday pay were again raised, by 6d. per half-day (for unionists) and 0-06 d. per paid hour (for non-unionists). The net deficiency for 1948-49 was £2,753. (ii) Statutory Holidays. —The proportion of National Administration Fund levies allocated to cover statutory holiday payments is seven thirty-seconds. For 1948-49 income under this heading totalled £80,274, which is £6,868 less than for 1947-48. Expenditure for 1948-49 on union and non-union statutory holiday pay (including administration assessment of 2|- per cent, on income, as for a separate fund) totalled £52,235, which was £37,194 less than for 1947-48. The decreased expenditure is accounted for by the fact that in 1948-49 only six statutory holidays were paid for instead of eleven as in 1947-48. The normal number of paid statutory holidays is nine. In 1948-49 Anzac Day fell on a Sunday, Easter, 1948, fell in the 1947-48 accounting year, and Easter, 1949, falls in the 1949-50 year. (iii) Daily and Weekly Minimum Payments.—The proportion of National Administration Fund levies allotted to this section is the same as for annual holidays—that is,, nine thirty-seconds, equal to £103,209. This is £3,209 in excess of the amount of £lOO,OOO per annum which it was estimated would be required to finance these payments when they were first brought into operation. As the volume of work has been maintained,, the total payments made have been lighter than was estimated, and at £78,341 (including administration assessment of 2|- per cent, on income, as for a separate fund) are £21,659less than the estimate, and £15,397 greater than the same payments for 1947-48. The higher expenditure during 1948-49 is due to (a) increases in daily and weekly minimum payments and (6) reductions in average hours of work at most ports (see Average Hours of Work, page 67, and Guaranteed Daily and Weekly Minimum Payments, page 72). As in 1947-48, the Commission has deemed it advisable to increase the Guaranteed Wage Reserve (see subdivision (v), Summary) out of the net surplus of daily and weekly minimum payments account. For 1948-49 this net surplus was £24,868. A balance of £2,178 was carried forward from 1947-48, making a total available .of £27,046. Of this amount, £25,000 has been added to the Guaranteed Wage Reserve, which stands at £lOO,OOO as at 31st March, 1949. (iv) Central Pay Office, Labour Engagement Bureau, and General Administration (including Amenities). —The income allotted to this subdivision includes seven thirtyseconds of National Administration Fund Levies, the assessments on income of other Commission funds (If per cent, co-operative contracts ; 2|- per cent, other funds), parliamentary appropriation, and sundries. Including £7,167 for the assessments allowed for in Subdivisions (i) to (iii) of this section, the total administrative income for 1948-49

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