LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 36, 4 September 1902, Page 15

LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

There are at present 6105 permanent employees in the service of the Railway Department, and 2208 casual employees. Some interesting figures as to expenditure up to Maroh 31, 1901, in the North and the South Island are given in a return laid before Parliament. For construction of roads and bridges the North Wand has spent £3,432,066 and the South I«lands £2,168,768 ; for the construction of railways (including purchase of land) — North Island £7,636,629, South Island £9,531 3'J7: acreage of land acquired under the Land for Settlements Aci and the total cost to the Crown in settling people upou these lands — North Island 39,602 acres (cost £426,888). South Island 282,542 acres (cost £1,356,599). The past year had been a record one for the Public Trust Office, the profits amounting to £8706. There were no losses in investments. The office charges have been reduced and t eimplified, and many of the fees have been altogether abolished. The capital funds have now reached the large sum of £1,723,450. Five years ago they were £847,974. There are over 3000 estates, representing a value of £2,467,614, in the office.