B.—4A,

Subdivision 111. —Dominion Laboratory :— Item— £ £ Salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 500 Advertising, photographs, books, &c. .. .. .. .. 80 Chemical apparatus, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 500 Fees of officers attending science lectures at Universities .. .. 35 Laboratory accommodation and maintenance .. .. .. 100 Printing and stationery .. .. .. .. . . .. 25 Rent, Laboratory premises, Auckland .. .. .. .. 55 Rent, Laboratory premises, Dunedin .. .. .. .. 21 — 1,316 Subdivision IV. —Dominion Observatory : —• Item— Establishment and maintenance of observing-stations .. 50 Furniture, fittings, &c. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 General expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. 25 Instruments and equipment .. .. .. .. .. 85 170 Subdivision V. —Geological Survey Branch :— Item— Salaries .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 220 Advertising, photographs, books, &c. .. .. .. .. 20 Aerial surveys .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 175 Field expenses .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 50 Fuel, light, and water .. .. .. .. .. .. 20 Wages of field hands .. .. .. .. .. .. 200 685 Subdivision Vl.—Meteorological Office :— Item— District weather-reporting stations, establishment of .. .. 10 Instruments : Purchase and repairs .. .. .. .. 100 Observatories, maintenance of, and establishment . . .. .. 50 Office fittings and requisites .. .. .. .. .. 10 Postages, telegrams, and rent of boxes .. .. .. .. 575 Printing and stationery .. .. .. .. . . .. 25 — 770 Subdivision VII. —Petrological Laboratory .. .. ... .. .. 160 160 £11,529 VOTE—TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT. 1287. This Department was first established in 1929 by a decision of the Government, and the setting-up of the Department was ratified by the Transport Department Act of the same year. 1288. The amount provided for 1931-32 as compared with the expenditure in 1930-31 was as follows :—

1289. The fees collected under the Transport Licensing Act, 1931, are approximately sufficient to cover the expenditure of the Department, so that under present conditions the Department is not a burden on general taxation. 1290. The staff employed directly by the Department numbers twenty, and, in addition, the services of officers of the Public Works Department are largely used in the various districts in the administration of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931. That Act requires that all applications for licenses shall be forwarded to the Commissioner of Transport and after investigation they are submitted to the appropriate licensing authorities for consideration. There are ten licensing authorities dealing with applications for licenses for various services, and the secretarial work of these authorities is carried out by the district organization of the Public Works Department.

9—B. 4A.

129

Expenditure. Amount appropriated. 1930-31. 1931-32. Salaries. Other Charges. Total. Salaries. Other Charges. Total. £ £ £ £ £ £ 4,444 1,538 5,982 3,821 936 4,757