D.—2.

New business written up during the last five years is as under:— 1937. 1936. 1935. 1934. 1933. £ £ £ £ £ Outdoor advertising .. 32,056 37,515 30,539 17,235 24,069 Publications .. .. 5,707 4,827 3,144 2,915 1,295 Miscellaneous.. .. .. 4 . .. 613 621 Buses .. .. 288 973 47 13 127 £38,051 £43,315 £33,730 £20,776 £26,112 The above table shows a reduction of £5,264 in new business written up during the year when a comparison is made with the returns for last year. A large contract was entered into in the latter part of last year, and if the value of this is excluded the returns for the current year show a satisfactory position. The following table shows the profit and ratio to turnover for the past eight years :—

The total return to the Department in respect of operations of the Advertising Branch during the past five years was as follows : — 1937. 1936. 1935. 1934. 1933. £ £ £ £ £ Rent, land, and buildings 800 800 797 800 1,000 Rent, advertising-sites 9,315 8,325 7,259 7,890 7,593 Commission .. .. 838 728 737 786 780 Interest .. .. 836 890 1,017 1,261 1,413 Railage .. .. 171 373 357 390 265 Profit .. .. 3,384 2,383 2,088 2,548 3,676 £15,344 £13,499 £12,255 £13,675 £14,727

REFRESHMENT SERVICE.

An analysis of the Refreshment Branch receipts is as follows :—

The number of meals served in the dining-rooms totalled 116,514, an increase of 28,258 (32-02 per cent.) over the previous year.

XVIII

Net Profit. Amount. J^ 0 to lurnover. £ Per Cent. 1930 .. .. .. .. 381 0-71 1931 .. .. .. ... 1,249 2-50 1932 .. .. .. .. 2,898 7-37 1933 .. .. .. .. 3,677 10-94 1934 .. .. .. .. 2,548 7-79 1935 .. .. .. .. 2,088 6.95 1936 .. .. .. .. 2,383 7-50 1937 .. .. .. .. 3,384 9-80

1937. 1936. Variation. Per Cent. ; £ £ £ Revenue .. .. .. 103,351 89,132 +14,219 15-95 Expenditure .. .. .. 101,125 84,976 +16,149 19 00 Net revenue .. .. £2,226 £4,156 +£1,930 46-44

1937. 1936. i Variation. : I i £ £ £ Per Cent Dining-rooms .. .. .. 11,651 j 10,315 + 1,336 12-95 Counter-rooms.. .. .. 90,513 76,071 + 14,442 18-98 Miscellaneous .. .. .. 1,187 2,746 — 1,559 56-77 Totals .. .. £103,351 j £89,132 +£14,219 15-95 I '