MALIGNED DEPARTMENT

Southland Times, Issue 18858, 25 June 1920, Page 6

MALIGNED DEPARTMENT

QUESTION OF EXPENDITURE. The following statement from Mr W. G. McDonald, of the Board of Trade, is published : “A statement appearing in a Christchurch paper recently draws attention to the incieaso in the expenditure of the Department of Agriculture from £240,000 in PJiS-XO, to £BIB.OOO in 1919-20, and asst.rues that the increase- of £578,000 m one year is inexplicable, and calls for a searching investigation into the administration of the Department of Agriculture. “This statement does a gross injustice to the Dirvetor-Grncral of the Department (Dr Rcakt-p). The writer of the article was apparently unaware of the fart that the Department of Agriculture does the book-keeping for the Board of Irade so far •a.-; Treasury accounts are concerned. The increase shown of £578,000 was due to the fact that just prior to March 31 big payment.'. had to be made in Australia ior the purchase of Australian wheat, for which at that date no corresponding credit had been brought to account in the books of the Department. Furthermore, all payments connected with the subsidy paid by the Government in order to keep the price of flour down to the public, passed through the books of the Department of Agriculture, and are. debited against its vote. Last year subsidy payable up March 31, when the Looks were Lalanecd, amounted to a considerable mm. “Apail from this the Department of Agriculture is also debited with the cost of the Coal Control Department, as well as ether items, amounting in the aggregate to a consider tide sum, which are quite outside the normal functions of the Department. ‘T think it will be found on analysis of the vote, and the expenditure under it. that the bu.~ine.--s of the Department of Agriculture has been carried out on very" =ouud lints.”