B.—4a,

Revenue Account, 1930-31. Debit. £ Credit. £ To Administration expenses .. .. 8,951 By Rent.. .. .. .. .. 192,624 Rebates .. .. .. .. 7,236 Interest .. .. .. .. 17,319 Remissions .. .. .. .. 13,935 Royalties .. .. .. .. 11,586 Rents written oil .. .. .. 6,826 Residue of receipts under sec. 317, Land " Thirds," " halves," and " fourths" .. 7,777 Act, 1924 .. .. .. .. 843 Depreciation on buildings, Kapiti .. 16 Interest under sec. 13, Land Laws Amendment Act, 1926 .. .. .. 72,532 Total expenditure .. .. . . 44,741 Interest under sec. 47, Land Laws AmendBalance to Net Revenue Account .. 258,650 ment Act, 1929 .. .. .. 8,405 Miscellaneous fees and fines, &c. .. .. 82 £303,391 £303,391 Net Revenue Account, 1930-31. Debit. £ Credit. £ Balance, Thermal Springs District Revenue Balance brought down .. .. 258,650 Account .. .. .. .. 167 Balance, Mining District Land Occupation Interest on capital at 4 per cent. .. .. 315,736 Revenue Account .. .. .. 1,454 Deficiency .. .. .. .. 55,799 £315,903 £315,903 819. The administrative expenses of the Department in 1914-15 and in 1930-31 as provided by vote Department of Lands and Survey were as follow : —

820. The above comparison is, however, not very appropriate, as in 1914-15 considerable amounts were appropriated in respect of recreation-grounds and domains and for road access, and the relative items are not included in the vote for 1930-31. Also the credits-in-aid in 1930-31, owing to larger recoveries being made from individual accounts, are considerably in excess of credits-in-aid in 1914-15, and the recoveries now made are, to a certain extent at least, due to changes in the accounting system. 821. The main point to be noted in the foregoing statement is that salaries have increased by approximately 100 per cent, since 1914-15. The staff in 1914-15 numbered 551, and at the 31st March, 1932, it numbered 680 ; but a reduction of approximately 20 officers has since been effected. As already indicated, we do not consider that this reduction is sufficient, and believe that a review of the duties performed by the technical branch of the Department will disclose that further reductions in staff and in the work performed will be possible. 822. As to the clerical staff, it would be possible to reduce the numbers considerably by the transfer of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement mortgage work to the State Advances Office. It would also be possible to curtail the field staff if this action were taken. This is referred to later. 823. The Dominion is divided into twelve land districts, each in charge of a Commissioner of Crown Lands, who has a professional, clerical, and technical staff to carry out the work in the district. 824. We have considered the possibility of amalgamating some of the district offices, and believe that some economies can be effected by this means. 825. The twelve land districts are as follow:— Land District. Office at Land District. Office at North Auckland . . Auckland. Marlborough . . Blenheim. South Auckland .. Auckland. Nelson .. .. Nelson. Gisborne . . . . Gisborne. Westland .. .. Hokitika. Hawke's Bay .. Napier. Canterbury .. .. Christchurch. Taranaki .. .. New Plymouth. Otago .. . . Dunedin. Wellington . . . . Wellington. Southland . . .. Invercargill. 826. It will be seen that there are two offices in Auckland ; but there is only one technical staff for the North and South Auckland Districts, under the control of a separate Chief Surveyor. Formerly there was one combined office for the whole of the Auckland Province, but owing to the great increase in the work following the passing of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act, 1915, and amendments, it was deemed necessary to divide the district, and two offices were accordingly established.

85

1914-15. j 1930-31. Salaries. <£«£. j TotaL ] Salaries " Charges. TotaL ££££££ Subdivision I —Administration 102,648 102,258 204,906 202,986 71,206 274,192 Subdivision II — Miscellaneous .. 45,528 45,528 .. 18,636 18,636 services 250,434 292,828 Less credits-in-aid .. .. .. 45,800 .. .. 126,937 £204,634 i £165,891