_.—No. 25.

Government Printing Office, '"" T , ~ , . . Wellington, 24th August, 1872. a A i , * transmit 'for the information of the Government, a Keturn showing the quantity and value of work executed in the Government Printing Office for the several Departments during the past financial year. The classification of the work now made affords much greater facilities for reference while it shows more accurately than has hitherto been done the extent to which the Printing Office has been used by the respective Departments of the Government. The details of the amounts enumerated in the Eeturn are entered day by day in the Work Book, and posted from thence to their respective Accounts in the Ledger. The fullest information therefore, can be afforded respecting the figures contained under each head in the Return It will be observed, on reference to the Eeturn, that more than one-half of the total value of work done has been chargeable to the General Assembly—the amount being £7 196 11s 6d This amount is subdivided under the following heads : General Assembly—■ £ s. d. Bills, Mansard, Private Bill Office ... ... 2 359 11 0 House op Eepbesentatives— Order Paper, Parliamentary Papers, Eeports, Journal, Statutes, and Miscellaneous... ... ... 4165 15 S Legislative Council—■ Order Paper, Eeturns, Eeports, Journal, and Miscellaneous 671 4 10 £7,196 11 6 I also have the honor to transmit a statement of the affairs of the Department at the close of the past financial year. A perusal of this statement will show, after deducting all expenses chargeable against the Department on account of salaries, additions to buildings fuel and sras contingencies, &c, a net profit for the year of £3,146 3s. Bd., or about 32 per cent, upon the I am also enabled this year to place before you a statement showing the present value of the plant During the month of May last a complete inventory of the stock was taken the estimated value of which, at the close of the financial year, after making the necessary deductions for depreciation, &c was £3,828 4s. 4d. The plant, therefore, may be said to have produced during the year work to the amount of three times its value. The smallness of the plant in comparison to the work required to be done, occasions a greater loss in wear and tear than would otherwise take place. The additions proposed to be made to it, however, will place the Department in a much better position to perform the work required, and will, I trust, enable me next year to present a balance sheet even more favourable than the one now submitted I append a copy of the scale of prices under which the work has been charged, from which it will be perceived that for some descriptions of work I am charging fully 50 per cent, less than is paid to private printers. , _. I have, &c., Ihe Hon. the Colonial Secretary, George Didsbury, Aft ellmgton. Government Printer.

REPORT ON THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING DEPARTMENT.