H.—4.

1933. NEW ZEALAND.

STORES CONTROL BOARD (ANNUAL REPORT OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

Stores Control Board, Wellington, 29th August, 1933. The Hon. J. Bitchener, Chairman, Stores Control Board. I have the honour to submit herewith the annual report of the Stores Control Board for the year ended 31st March, 1933. P. Ellerm, Acting Secretary.

REPORT.

Purchases. During the year ended 31st March, 1933, the expenditure on the purchase of stores, as compared with the year ended 31st March, 1932, was as under : — Year ended Year ended 31st March, 1932. 31st March, 1933. £ £ Railways .. .. .. .. .. 1,048,570 897,104 Public Works .. .. .. .. .. 859,666 371,978 Post and Telegraph .. .. .. .. 124,114 124,276 Mental Hospitals .. .. .. .. 170,809 165,238 Naval .. .. .. .. .. .. 74,898 76,436 Defence .. .. .. .. .. 18,238 36,660 Health 37,111 34,714 Printing and Stationery .. .. .. .. 32,281 41,131 Prisons.. .. .. .. . .. 42,169 40,990 Lands and Survey .. .. .. .. 34,323 19,120 Education .. .. .. .. .. 29,034 29,521 State Forest Service .. .. .. .. 11,927 12,720 Agriculture .. .. .. .. .. 42,083 43,672 Marine .. .. .. .. .. .. 16,760 15,265 Mines .. .. .. .. .. .. 19,021 16,598 Native .. .. .. .. .. .. 117,465 102,385 Industries and Commerce, Tourist and Publicity .. 21,274 20,649 Other Departments .. .. .. .. 57,471 61,241 Total .. .. .. .. ..£2,757,214 £2,109,698 The expenditure on stores shows a reduction of £647,516, or over 23 per cent., when compared with the previous year. The purchases during the past ten years were as under :— £ £ 1924 .. .. .. 4,080,000 1929 .. .. .. 4,199,822 1925 .. .. .. 4,416,833 1930 .. .. .. 4,345,030 1926 .. .. .. 4,690,569 1931 .. .. .. 4,286,803 1927 .. .. .. 3,877,275 1932 .. .. .. 2,757,214 1928 .. .. .. 3,947,117 1933 .. .. .. 2,109,698