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Expenditure The net expenditure was £498,439, which was £35,011 below estimate, the difference arising from delay in delivery of outstanding overseas orders of new instruments and materials to build up'stocks depleted during the war. Unfortunately, these orders carry on into the ensuing year and swell the estimates accordingly. The expenditure of the Department during the year was as follows: — Permanent services— Head Office: Comprising general expenses of £ administration .. .. .. .. 25,336 Dominion Laboratory (with branches) .. .. 60,993 Dominion Observatory .. .. .. .. 2,534 Geological Survey .. .. .. .. 33,586 Magnetic Observatory .. .. .. .. 5,533 Dominion Physical Laboratory .. .. .. 106,446 Auckland Industrial Development Laboratories .. 19,593 Apia Observatory .. .. .. .. 2,642 256,663 Research investigations .. .. .. . - 230,908 Grants and miscellaneous services, including Information Bureau and Scientific Liaison Services .. .. 93,311 580,882 Recoveries .. .. .. .. .. 82,443 £498,439 Grants made to research and allied institutions in Great Britain, £6,785. Personnel The personnel of the Department and its disposal at 31st March, 1947, was as follows: Auckland Industrial Development Geological Survey * .. 40 Laboratories .. .. 25 Head Office and district offices .. 75 Dairy Research Institute .. .. 28 Information Bureau .. .. 15 Defence Development Section .. 33 Industrial Psychology .. .. 4 Dominion Laboratory and district Observatories : Apia, Magnetic, and branches .. .. 98 Dominion .. .. .. 19 Dominion Physical Laboratory .. 161 Plant Research Bureau and five Canterbury Project .. .. 27 Divisions .. .. .. 125 Fats Research Laboratory .. 12 Soil Bureau .. .. 51 Fruit Research .. .. .. 6 Miscellaneous .. .. .. 21 Total staff, including clerical officers, typists, technicians, and professional officers, 776 (312 permanent and 464 temporary). A considerable deficit of experienced research officers exists in almost all branches of the Department, and as a consequence work of national importance is either seriously delayed or cannot be undertaken at all. " A committee has been set up under the chairmanship of Mr. T. H. McCombs, M.P., to study the scientific man-power questions of the Dominion. Research Associations The policy regarding research associations directly responsible to industry has been actively pursued, and, in addition to those previously reported, the Pottery and Ceramic Research Association is now firmly established, and a Fertilizer Research Association also. Further research associations are under discussion dealing with (a) laundry and dry-cleaning, and (b) hops.

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