B.—4a

VOTE —LANDS AND SURVEY. Subdivision Ī. —Administration. Item—Salaries, £178,504. 921. A considerable reduction in staff should be possible as a result of our recommendation that the mortgages securing advances under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, for the purchase of rural land and town dwellings be handed over to the State Advances Office, and there should not be any material increase in the cost of administration of that Office as a result. We are unable to assess the possible savings, but they would be large. 922. We have already referred to the possibility of reducing the technical staff of the Department by elimination of much of the work which is at present undertaken. From the evidence obtained it appears that a considerable saving should result on this account also. It should be stated that economies have already been effected in the Department by reduction in personnel, but these do not go far enough. Item —Hawke's Bay Reconstruction, Surveys, &c., £20,000. 923. It is realized that a large amount of work is required in connection with the reconstruction of the Land Transfer and survey records in Hawke's Bay. We consider that the work should be spread over a number of years, and that the expenditure should be reduced to £10,000 per annum for the present. Saving, £10,000. Item—Map-printing, £1,800. 924. We have already recommended that the activities of this branch of the Department should be severely curtailed by the elimination of much of the work which is at present undertaken. This item should be reduced to £800. Saving, £1,000. Motor-vehicles. Item —Purchase, £800. „ Maintenance, £2,000. 925. These items should be reduced by £1,100. The purchase of new cars should be deferred. Saving, £1,100. Item —Office Fittings and Equipment, £950. 926. This item should be reduced to £400. Saving, £550. Item—Overtime and Meal Allowances, £300. 927. This item should be reduced to £100. Saving, £200. Item —Postage, Telegrams, &c., £5,243. 928. This item should be reduced to £3,750. Saving, £1,493. Item—Premiums to Teaching-surveyors, £145. 929. We do not consider that any special payments should be made to Surveyors in connection with the teaching of cadets. It should be recognized as part of the duty of Surveyors to provide tuition for their cadets. We recommend that the practice of paying premiums be abolished, and that this item be deleted. Saving, £145. Item —Printing and Stationery, £2,800. 930. This item should be reduced to £1,800. Saving, £1,000. Item—Rent, £2,590. 931. This item should be reduced to £2,000. Saving, £590. Item —Surveyors' Equipment, Camp Gear, £650. 932. This item should be reduced to £250. Saving, £400. Item—Typewriters and Calculating-machines. Purchase, £100. Maintenance, £250. 933. These items should be reduced to £250 in all. Saving, £100.

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