H.-Ua

As mentioned previously, tho work of the. Civil Defence Division had virtually ceased by tho end of the year, and the staff engaged on that work were transferred to the Internal Affairs Department as from the Ist April, 1944. As regards the rehabilitation work which was previously carried on in the Rehabilitation Division, this was transferred to the newly-created Rehabilitation Department as from the Ist November, 1943.

The number of staff employed by each of the principal sections of the Department at yearly points throughout the war have been as follows : —

* Tho main class included in the item " Others " comprises the staff's of the defaulters' detention camps, which totalled 137 males and 5 females at 31st March, 1944. The reduction in the numbers employed by the Appeal Tribunals reflects the falling-off of appeal work since the passing of the main part of the ballot phase. Further reductions in this section of the Department have since been made. 15. FINANCE AND EXPENDITURE Administration Expenses The administration expenses of the National Service Department are subject to annual appropriation by Parliament in terms of the Public Revenues Act, 1926, and provision is accordingly made for this expenditure to be met in the first instance from the Consolidated Fund under vote " National Service." The administration by the National Service Department of rehabilitation activities ceased on the Ist November, 1943, when the Rehabilitation Department was established, but as no other financial provision was available the administration expenses of the new Department were met by vote " National Service " up to and including 31st March, 1944. With the exception of employment promotion administration expenses, in respect of which an assessed amount is recovered annually from vote " Labour," the net expenditure under vote " National Service " is finally recovered from War Expenses Account. Wab Expenses Account All other expenditure of the Department not provided for under annual appropriations is met direct from " War Expenses Account, Subdivision IV, Civil." This expenditure is classified under the following headings : — (a) Defaulters' Detention Camps. —The expenditure under this item includes the capital costs of establishing the camps and the annual cost of operating them. As will be seen from the following table, the net cost of the camps for the year ended 31st March, 1944, was £133,246. When examining the costs, however, allowance must be made for the very considerable quantity of work performed by defaulter labour for other Government Departments for which no cash recovery has yet been made. The total quantity of such work carried out during the year ended 31st March, 1944, is conservatively valued at £40,251, and as it represents a direct saving to Government funds it must be offset against the net expenditure for the year. Capital expenditure during the year, mainly in connection with Shannon Camp, was £34,923, and the balance, £98,323, represents operational costs. Deducting from this latter figure the sum of £40,251, the value of work performed for other Government Departments, it will be seen that the net cost of operating the detention camps, including administration expenses and maintenance of inmates, was £58,072 for the year. The question of cash recovery from the Government Departments concerned for the value of work carried out by military defaulters is at present the subject of negotiation between the Treasury, the Departments concerned, and the National Service Department. Such recoveries when received will be credited to War Expenses Account and will offset tho cost of maintaining military defaulters in detention. (b) Emergency Fire Service. —Expenditure was incurred under this item on members' pay and transport, uniforms and accoutrements, fire hose, trailer pumps, hose-carrying vehicles, and other fire-fighting equipment. The greater part of the 1943-44 expenditure was the sum of £136,398 on fire hose, a considerable quantity of which had been received from overseas during the previous financial year but not brought to charge. Operational expenditure for the year shows a reduction of £11,029 on the 1942-43 figure and is indicative of the reduction which took place in Emergency

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31st March, 1941. 31st March, 1942. 31st March, 1943. 31st March, 1944. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Males. Females. Head Office .. .. 105 82 87 109 95 131 67 107 Appeal Tribunals . . 29 26 29 45 85 99 48 64 Industrial Man-power .. 146 19 195 48 317 189 286 242 ♦Others .. .. 12 2 51 6 108 12 141 11 292 129 362 208 605 431 542 424 Totals .. . . ' v ' * y ' * v ' v v ' 421 570 1,036 966