B.—4A.

1246. Miscellaneous, £819.—This item is really to provide for contingencies which may crop up during the year, and gives some degree of flexibility to the Department in connection with unexpected lines of investigation. We recommend a reduction of £179. Saving, £179. Subdivision 111.- —Dominion Laboratory. 1247. We have recommended in connection with the Chemical Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture that it be amalgamated with the Dominion Laboratory, and feel sure that considerable savings could be effected thereby. _ _ 124.8. In regard to the expenditure in connection with the Dominion Laboratory we have to report as follows :— Item —Salaries, £8,778. 1249. There is a staff of twenty-seven employed in the laboratories at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and we are informed that arrangements can be made for one officer to be transferred to other work. It is necessary to maintain laboratories at each of the four centres, and we do not recommend the abolition of any of them. Saving by staff-reduction, £500. Item—Advertising, Photographs, Books, do., £180. 1250. This item should be reduced to £100. Saving, £80. Item —Chemicals, Apparatus, &c., £1,300. 1251. This item should be reduced to £800. Saving, £500. Item—Fees of Officers attending Science Lectures at Universities, £35. 1252 It has been the practice of the Department to pay the fees of junior officers attending science lectures at University. We consider this practice should cease, and recommend accordingly. Saving, £35. Item —Laboratory Accommodation and Maintenance, £170. 1253. This item should be reduced to £70. Saving, £100. Item —Printing and Stationery, £150. 1254. This item should be reduced to £125. Saving, £25. lt em —Rent, Laboratory Premises, Auckland, £275. 1255. This item should be reduced to £220. Saving, £55. Item —Rent, Laboratory Premises, Dunedin, £105. 1256. This item should be reduced to £84. Saving, £21. General. 1257. A considerable amount of work is carried out by the laboratories for other Departments of State for which no recovery is made. We consider that the Department should levy a charge for all work carried out, and this would probably tend to a reduction m the volume of wok. Where no charge is made there is nothing to deter Departments from asking for unnecessary investigations. There should be an indirect saving on this account. Subdivision IV. —Dominion Observatory. 1258. There is not much scope for economy here, but we recommend the following reductions Item —Establishment and Maintenance of Observing-stations, £100. 1259. This item should be reduced to £50. Saving, £50. Item —Furniture, Fittings, cfee., £20. 1260. This item should be reduced to £10. Saving, £10. Item —General Expenses, £450. 1261. This item should be reduced to £425. Saving, £25. Item —Instruments and Equipment, £170. 1262. This item should be reduced to £85. Saving, £85.

126