B.—4a

VOTE—PRINTING AND STATIONERY DEPARTMENT. 569. The expenditure under vote Printing and Stationery Department for 1914-15 and 1930-31 is as follows : —

570. The departmental receipts for 1914-15 amounted to £106,553, and in 1930-31 to £244,780. 571. The establishment of a Government Printing Office is necessary in view of the large numbers of parliamentary papers, statutes, and the Journals of the House which have to be printed. The Department also provides stationery and office requisites for other Departments, and most of the printing required by Government Departments is also carried out by the Printing Office, as also is the stamp-printing for the Post and Telegraph and Stamp Duties Departments. 572. The Department appears to be economically administered, and, indeed, is suffering from false economy in the past, in that some up-to-date machinery is required if the Government Printer is to be in a position to compete with prices obtainable from private firms. 573. Some minor economies should be possible in the vote, apart from reductions in salaries, as a result of the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act, 1932. 574. The items in which economy can be effected are as follow: —■ Item—Freight, Cartage, Insurance, &c., £8,100. 575. This item should be reduced to £7,200. Saving, £900. Item—Fuel, Power, Light, &c., £2,600. 576. This item should be reduced to £2,400. Saving, £200. Item —Monotype-machine Replacements, £425. 577. This item can be reduced to £415. Saving," £10. Item —Monotype Metal, £450. 578. This item should be reduced to £300. Saving, £150. Item —Postage and Telegrams, £1,700. 579. This item should be reduced to £1,300. Saving, £400, Item —Repairs to Premises, £500. 580. This item should be reduced to £420. Saving, £80. Item —Services of Charwomen, Messengers, Sc., £1,858. 581. This item should be reduced to £1,800. Saving, £58. Item —Stores, Bookbinding-material, <&c., £4,300. 582. This item should be reduced to £4,200. Saving, £100. 583. While the foregoing economies can be effected, it should be stated that increases will be required in some other items on the vote, and after making allowance for the reductions in salaries it is estimated that a vote of £165,000 will be required for 1932-33, or a net saving, over all, of £9,779. 584. The Department does not carry out the whole of the printing required by the Government. We consider that before any printing, including electoral rolls, is entrusted to private enterprise quotations should be obtained from the Government Printer and his services utilized wherever possible.

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1914-15. 1930-31. — . . . „ . Salaries. Other Charges. Total. Salaries. | Other Charges. Total. £ £ £ £ £ £ 71,184 51,969 123,153 128,791 99,496 228,287