B. —4 a,

considerable saving to the Government. We woilld here mention that the expenditure charged to this vote covers telephones in the offices of Ministers of the Crown and in private Ministerial residences. For instance, there is a total charge of £165 for telephone connections in Ministerial offices at Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Wanganui. It seems to be open to question whether, in the first place, the Ministerial offices are actually required in these centres, and consequently whether a charge of £165 per annum for telephones, which can be used only occasionally at the most, is necessary. 511. The installation of telephones in the residences of private secretaries and members of the staffs of Ministers of the Crown seems to have expanded unduly, and should be restricted. The total charge for telephones to private secretaries and staffs is £209 10s. per annum. 512. We estimate the total saving on this item at £200. Saving, £200. Item—Travelling Allowances ancl Expenses of Ministers (Allowances only as authorized by the Civil List Act, 1920) : Ministers' Expenses, £5,300. 513. The following table gives the expenditure under this item from the Ist April, 1928 : — 1928-29 £5,781 Bs. 7d. of which £2,221 Is. sd. is for motor-hire. 1929-30 £10,714 lis. Bd. „ £5,520 12s. 7d. 1930-31 £7,940 2s. Od. „ £3,788 ss. 2d. 1931-32* £4,788 2s. 7d. „ £1,623 Is. 3d. *Up to 29th February, 1932. 514. The substantial reduction in this item over the past two years shows that real economy has been practised, but the large proportion of the expenses represented by motor-hire leads us to think that a more moderate use of this form of transport would be of advantage to the State. Item—Travelling Allowances and Expenses of Private Secretaries to Ministers, £2,000. 515. We recommend that the railway passes issued to private secretaries be not renewed and that warrants be issued for official journeys. Saving, £250. Subdivision ll.—Government Actuary's Office. 516. While we cannot recommend any further economies in this subdivision, we are of opinion that one actuarial office should suffice for all Government work, and that the ultimate amalgamation of this Office with that of the Government Life Insurance Department should be aimed at. Subdivision 111. —Ministers' Secretaries. Item—Salaries, £4,350. 517. There has been a large increase in the number of officers on the secretarial staff in recent years, and most Ministers now have two or more secretaries. The number of officers on the secretarial staff is twenty, and we believe that the number could be reduced by at least five, and that, with a few exceptions, one secretary should suffice for each Minister. We recommend accordingly. Saving, approximately £2,000. Allowances in addition to Classification, £765. 518. A sessional allowance of £45 (previously £50) is granted to each private secretary. It is difficult to justify this item of expenditure under present circumstances, and we recommend the abolition thereof. Saving, £765. Subdivision IV.—Messengers, Office-keepers, and Charwomen. Item —Salaries, £71,218. 519. We are informed that a scheme of reorganization is in progress whereby a considerable reduction in the numerical strength of the staff and in the total salaries will be effected. We consider this to be a step in the right direction and one which should be conducive to greater efficiency and economy. 520. There is one item under the heading " Salaries " to which we also wish to refer—namely, special allowances to messengers (including allowances to Ministerial messengers), £822. We see no justification for the continuance of a special allowance of this nature. The special allowances are as follow :— (1) Special allowance of Is. per day, less 10 per cent. Amount involved, £263. (2) Special sessional allowance of 2s. 6d. per day (reduced from ss. per day from Ist April, 1931). Amount involved, £450. 521. The first is in the nature of an extra emolument consequent upon duty in the offices of Ministers of the Crown. The second is a special allowance for extra duties during the session, but we see no good reason why this should be granted. If longer hours are worked during the session, there are compensations in other ways. We recommend that both these allowances be abolished.

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