H.— 35

In addition to the sum of £621,518 shown above as cash in the Fund at the 31st, March last, there was a sum of £56,305 tax collected by the Post Office and not yet paid over at that date. There was thus a total of £677,823 cash available. Deducting from this figure a sum of approximately £231,000 sundry creditors at the 31st March, 1934, there was in the Unemployment Fund at Ist April, 1934:, a sum of approximately £446,823, making, with the estimated revenue of £4,768,000, a total of £5,214,823 available for unemployment relief during the year ending 31st March, 1935. In the year ended on the 31st March, 1934, payments under various relief schemes were as follows :— £ Farming schemes .. .. .. .. .. .. 270,767 Building scheme .. .. .. .. .. .. 229,460 Gold-prospecting schemes . . .. . . . . . . 198,334 Camp schemes .. .. . . . . .. . . . . 231,647 Distribution of food, clothing, &c.. . . . . . . . . . 104,278 Sustenance payments . . .. .. . . 33 ; 302 Scheme No. 5 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,889,837 Relief of unemployment among Maoris .. .. .. .. 74,080 Loans under section 18 .. .. .. .. .. .. 20,919 Miscellaneous grants, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 78,061 Administration expenses .. .. .. .. .. 112,556 £4,243,241 It will be noted that the payments in respect of administration expenses totalled £112,556. This sum represents 2-65 per cent, of the total payments of £4,243,241 from the Fund. The percentage of administration payments to total payments in the year 1932-33 was 2-82 per cent. The total payments do not, however, provide a satisfactory basis for comparing the cost of administration year by year, since the payments for a particular year include items of expenditure actually incurred in a previous year, while the whole year's expenditure will not be shown in the payments, since at the end of the year there will be commitments due and unpaid. The actual expenditure on administration when unpaid accounts at the end of each year are included was —1931-32, £55,015 ; 1932-33, £95,165 ; 1933-34, £118,560 (approximately). The latter figures, representing actual expenditure, form a more satisfactory basis for comparing costs of administration. Percentage costs extracted on this basis show the comparative position for the years 1931-32, and 1933-34 as follows :— 1931-32. 1932-33. 1933-34.* (1) Total expenditure, including unpaid £ £ £ creditors, at 31st March .. .. 2,268,197 3,839,807 4,299,441 Plus cost of collection of levy retained by Post Office .. .. .. 4,000 6,500 f £2,272,197 £3,846,307 £4,299,441 (2) Amount of administration expenses included in total cost shown above.. £55,015 £95,165 £118,560 (3) Administration expenses as percentage p er Cent. Per Cent. Per Cent. of total cost .. .. .. 2-42 2-47 2'76 Having regard to the thousands of men in receipt of relief, and the necessity of investigating their circumstances and eligibility, and considering the multiplicity and variety of schemes under which they are engaged, the administrative costs are exceedingly low.

* Final figures for year 1933-34 are not yet available; the figures quoted may be subject to slight alteration, but not sufficient to make any material difference in the percentage of administration expenses to total expenditure. f Cost of collection of levy for the year 1933-34 was appropriated and is therefore included in total expenditure of £4,299,441.

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