STATE’S ANNUAL LOSS.

Hokitika Guardian, 11 July 1923, Page 1

STATE’S ANNUAL LOSS.

A BILL OF L’lit.iMill. WELLINGTON. July t>. Annually there is submitted to Parliament by lhe Auditor-General a -iatemeiit of amounts written off the public aeiounls owing to losses in trading, defalcations or other causes. This year's total i- nearly T 111.800, the Uulitnr-Goiieral remarking that there has lie n a eotisiderahle ineretise in the iimuhar of prosecutions ol public servants on account of defaleaf ions, ihougii c-oiisulering the number ol public officers handling money. the proportion of fraudulent employees i> not largo. The report adds:— "li is commonlv supposed that the number of prosecutions oi Government officers indicates that the standard of business morality in the service is lower than that which obtains in outside employment. 1 am, however, satisfied that such is not the ease. Pho provisions of the Public llevenues Aci regarding proseetiiions of public otliicrs arc mandatory. The Audit Office has no oplion hut In prosecute in every ease of defalcation. Ii is thus obvious that in all eases of misappropriation in lluservice, part ieiilars must come hclore tho public, whereas in the ca-e ol private employers there is no eorrespoiulin<•- obligation to take legal proceed-

ngs against otieiidors, and proseeuiuns do not always follow olleiiees.’ Ti-o retiorl. slat", that ns Midi a

large proportion ol oli'eiiees are accompanied by fraud, it i- diHieiilt in discover them by audit. A seluiitile of losses or deficiencies in cash, stores or supply, for which parliamentary authority is required before thev can he written off, is nil ached to the iepnrl. The total amolinl: is L'ls, the principal items being:

1 )«■)}:!rtof Agriculture-- Balance aniouni advanced In Nelson District (■’ruit Packers, Ltd.. irre<<>vir;tl >li‘ iug to the company having • >i><• 11 dissolved, I'o7l.

Dt-fi nee Dopnrlmeiil -()\. •i - pay m-il l - 1 1 \ Financial Assistance lloanl in soldiers allot' disihargi-, trtvniji in dislncn--11<• 11 of arrangements at Trout,ham tin ! Foal herMoiie, arising from inlluenza epidemic, L’777 ; valito ol articles lit niiliiarv liospil ids and depots broken, lost or dost tin oil. C! 70's; sloth deficient on completion of sain ol surplus miiilarv stores, Wellington, (or which responsibility canitoi ho nltachod lo any iudivitlua!, L'ollo; valuo ol stoics. of|iiipmont of various units found deficient at stor!;taking. in lvspcct to which responsibility cannot be fixed, I'.'ib'si' : petrol supplied by Now Zealand Aero Transport- Company from Imperial Covei'iimonl pill slock, in consideration of flying ope rations carried out whilst not in receipt ol subsidy. C 1 I So.

Health Department Amounts owin. at lioiorna, I’nkeora, Otaki. Iren tha in. and Haunter hospitals and sana toriilins, and at the office oi the As sistant director or Medical Services Wellington. (.‘11,337.

Mines Department - Balance ol principal and interest owing by Taranaki (New Zealand) Oil Wells. Ltd., Cl 711 : rent owing oil void leases by Seabird Coal Company, in liquidation, CtilO; shortage of lirowond storks and various articles at Government, depot, articles worn out or stolen, CB*_ , !)i. When the wood was all ~old out a shortage in stock' was revealed of Ills', cords. H was impossible lo tiecount for the shortage. The Coal Control Department commenced operations in July, 101!'). and the yard was taken over liy the Mines Department on So|>teniher 1. lfilM. It was closed down on (September CL DLL’. The shortage therefore oeenrred before the Mines Department took over control, foal Control officers are now in the Government service. Shortage in coal stocks at Wellington and Christchurch State. Coal denots, due to losses in handling, evaporation and stone, i'ti"o. poet and Telegraph DepartmentValue of material' deficient at stocktaking. damaged or condemned as useless, C7.fi!V>.

Repatriation Department Loans granted discharged soldiers under Repatriation Act irrecoverable by reason of debtors being bankrupt, wasters or deceased.. CtU.TI.