5

A—i

Departmental activities amounted to £315,870, against which the sum of £77,505 was recovered for services rendered to other Departments and for charges upon expenditure of loan funds administered by the Department. The net expenditure was therefore £238,365, being an increase of £28,962 on the expenditure of the previous year. The principal items contributing towards the increase are — £ Salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..33.100 Equipment and wages .. .. .. .. .. .. 8,300 Instruments .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,900 Advertising .. .. .. .. ~. .. .. 2,800 Postages, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,500 Temporary assistance .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,500 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,900 Hauraki Plains (metalling roads) .. .. .. .. .. 3,900 Land Board fees .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,400 Maintenance and construction of roads .. .. .. .. 2,600 As against this the following items appearing in last year's expenditure do not recur : — £ War bonus .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,500 Contribution to State forests .. .. .. .. .. 9,500 Remission of rent, Section 23, Land Laws Amendment Act, 1915 .. 3,400 Contribution to Waimarino Bush-fire Relief Fund .. . . . . 10,000 The principal cause for the increase in the administrative items is the volume of work arising out of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, and its amendments. An appropriation of £20,000 was taken under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account in anticipation of this increase, which amount was duly credited. Last year the gross credits to the vote £46,474, as against this year, £77,505, an increase of £31,031, which includes the £20,000 referred to. The Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account shows £7,900,580 charged during the year, as against £594,920 charged for the previous year. Statement of accounts in connection with these transactions appear in the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Report. The gross amount charged up by the Department shows an increase of £7,469,791 over that of the previous year, operations on the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Accouut being principally responsible for the increase.

Summary of Expenditure approved during the Year ended 31st March, 1920.

Net liecovorios. Net Expenditure. Name; o£ Vote or Acoount. Amount m ,., voted. Expenditure. Amount voted. Gross Expenditure. Consolidated Fund. £ £ s. d. Lands and Survey .. .. .. 166,257 232,683 17 3 Lands and Survey, Mscellaneous .. 98.037 83,186 1 0 State Forests Account .. .. 136,998 67,142 4 6 Land for Settlements Expenses .. 13,525 5,715 3 6 Scenery-preservation Account.. .. 6,356 752 1.0 11 £ . 166,257 98.037 . 136,998 13,525 6.356 £ s. d. 232,683 17 3 83,186 1 0 67,142 4 6 5,715 3 6 752 10 1.1 £ s. d. 71,178 6 10 6,326 19 7 323 2 0 943 16 1 £ s. d. 161,505 10 5 76,859 1 5 66,819 2 6 4,771 7 5 752 10 11 Totals .. .. .. .. 389,479 17 2 389,479 17 2 78,772 4 6 310,707 12 8 Public Works Fund. Improved-farm Settlements .. .. 450 142' 0 0 Lands, Miscellaneous .. .. 8,047 2,964 19 0 . ' 450 8,047 142' 0 0 2,964 19 0 142 10 5 Or. 0 10 5 2,964 19 0 Totals .. .. .. .. 3,106 19 0 3,106 19 0 142 10 5 2,964 8 7 Land for Settlements Account. Roads to open up Crown Lands for Settle- 250,000 63,266 11 4 le- 250,000 63,266 11 4 1,574 6 1 01,692 5 3 ment Land for Settlements Account .. . . .. 47,391 2 1 Rangitaiki Land Drainage Account (Section 7, j 58,625 2 9 Rangitaiki Land Drainage Act, 1.910) Hauraki Plains Settlement Account (Section 95, ' 69,229 18 9 Reserves, &c., Act, 1916) I Swamp Land Drainage Account (Section 95, Reserves, &c, Act, 1916)— Kaitaia .. .. .. .. .. 28,917 6 0 Waihi .. .. .. .. .. ! 1,713 13 8 Poukawa .. .'. .. .. 96 10 2 Hikurangi .. .. .. .. 834 11 10 National Endowment Account .. . . .. 8,930 4 1 Native Land Settlement Account .. .. 34,284 8 11 Special Acts, Deposit Account, Refunds, &c. .. 8,832 13 11 Waimarino Bush-fire Relief Account . . . . 18,083 10 1 Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account . . 7,900,580 4 10 11,388 11 2 819 6 0 370 6 1 0 19 11 20 0 0 36,002 10 11 58,616 3 3 68,859 12 8 28,916 0 1 ! 1,693 13 8 96 10 2 834 11 10 8,930 4 1 34,284 8 11 8,832 13 11 18,083 10 1 7,900,580 4 10 Totals .. .. .. .. 8,177,519 7 1 Grand totals .. .. .. 8,633,372 14 7 11,788 16 8 i 8,165,730 10 5 92,277 17 8 8,541,094 16 11