THE ESTIMATES

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1932, Page 5

THE ESTIMATES

SOME OF THE VOTES INTERESTING FIGURES. '(Per Favour of Government). WELLINGTON, October 5. Included in the Estimates presented to the House last evening are the following : Amount of motor taxation payable to the Main Highway Revenue Fund has decreased from £1,807,666 to £1,110,000.

An amount of £1420 was spent last year in travelling expenses for the Gov-ernor-General and staff, in excess of the amount provided under the Civil List Act, 1920. This item does not reappear in the current estimates. A -sum of £lO is provided to cover the passage t° and from Chatham Islands by the Member for Lyttelton (Mr McCombs). The vote for the Prime Minister’s Department shows an increase of £5,376 the main contributing item being an increase of £5,000 in New Zealand’s proportion of the Secretariat expense of tll e League of Nations, for which it is prepared to allocate £17,269. There is a compassionate grant of £347 to' the widow of the late T. 'Makitanava, former Member for the Southern Maori district.

'Provision is made for an increased number of individual disputes. It is proposed to vote for Conciliation Council assessors £2,000, as against the £395 spent last year.

'lt is proposed, to make available £14,435 this year for passage money for immigrants. Surveys in connection with the reconstruction of Hawkes Bay are expected to cost £12,000. Last year £11,316 was spent. Naval salaries and allowances are expected to cost £200,544 as compared with £166,882 spent last year.

Regimental hands are to have their grants restored and £IOOO has been provided for this purpose.

A decision <o pay territorials attending camps th*s year has resulted in £IO,OOO being provided for this purpose. Subsidies are not to be paid in future ito fcoys’ tod girl's’ agricultural clubs on the grounds of economy. Last year £854 was spent, but this year only £250 is allowed. Last year the grant of £II,OOO for a guarantee on export of fruit was over-expended by £8,685. This was due mainly to a collapse of tlie Continental market. The amount provided whether the amount will b e sufficient or not?

The free ■ transport of hike on rftilwavs to farmers is expected to c<ist £60,000 .this year, Last year £39,449 WAg spout, The Department of Agriculture's portion of railway freight on fertiliser is expend to cost £120,000. Last year £92,213 was spent, but the subsidy now paid to manufacturers of fertilisers has increased corgumpieon. Sunpi dies to the manufacturers of superphosphate of this fertiliser being delivered from the works is expected to cost £149,000 this year.' Last year the amount spent was £50,994. However, there was an amount of £22,000 carried over at the end of March on account of debits not coming to hand. The guarantee on the export of surplus eggs is being discontinued. Last year this cost the Dominion £B4B. The purchase of fowl wheat in Australia for New Zealand poultry farmers cost £25,000. This item has been charged t° the Industries and Commerce Department, but is held to be recoverable. The sale of fowl wheat 'brought m a credit of £25,400. . Grants to Hospital Boards 1 are estimated to cost £500,000. Last year this came under -permanent appropriations, but has now been transferred to the Health Department vote. Last year’s expenditure was £640,144, but this included special allowances, which are repayable l by Hospital Boards . this year. The sum of £20,790 is provided for the Plunket Society this year. Last, year the grant was £22,399. grant is made to the "Auckland, or W elHngtpn City Missions this year. Of £2,700,C00 provided in the Education “Department estimates, teachers’ salaries account for £1,403,268. Last year 'the salaries cost £1,553,225. The grants to university colleges for general purposes are as follows; Auckland, £8,072; Canterbury, £4,560 ; Otago, £11,993 ; Wellington, £7,346. No grants were made to the Schools of Forestry at Auckland and Canterbury Colleges this year. Last year they were granted £1,275. Likewise no grants are made this year to the W.E.A.. Last year £1,311 was granted. Training colleges are expected to cost £111,820 this year, as compared with £145,592 last year.

The grants for school buildings, furniture and sites are reduced from £132,090. The total grant for primary education thi.s year is £1,789,085, as compared with £1,898,264 la't year. For post primary education £499,603 lias been provided, but last- years expenditure is not clear as the accounts arc presented in a different form.

The sum of £3,750 appears for -expenses connected with the visit of the New Zealand delegation to the Ottawa Conference. This expenditure is itemised as und ,«r: Grant to Mr Coates £900; grant fr° Mr D. Stewart £750; grants to the permanent heads of the Treasury arid Customs Departments (£SOO each) £1000; grants for private