1.—6,

Class XII., Vote 57, £654 7s. 2d. 14. Your Committee are informed that the excess in this vote is on account of aJvances made to the Agent-General, London, for the purchase of stores, which would not be received until after the close of the financial year ended the 31st March, 1883. Land Fund Account. Class XIII., Vote 61, £1,564 17s. lid. 15. Your Committee find that, owing to the increased expenditure in several land districts, principally in the direction of advertising, the votes which were taken for " Contingencies " for the various local land offices have been increased by the amount of the sum above named. Your Committee find that, in terms of "The Land Act, 1877," the duty of advertising sales of Crown lands devolves upon the Local Land Boards, and that these Boards have ■ the power of incurring expenditure in advertising lands for sale without any direct control from the Minister of Lands. Public Works Fund. — Railways. Royal Commission on the Middle Island Main Trunk Line: Travelling allowances and expenses, £320 14s. lOd.; miscellaneous, £27 ss. sd. 16. Your Committee have received the following statement in explanation of these items. The Commission was appointed during the recess, and its expenses were therefore not provided for:—

Expenses of Royal Commission of Middle Island Main Trunk Line for Financial Year ended 31st March, 1883.

Class 11., Vote 69, £204 Bs. 4d, 17. Tour Committee have been supplied with the following details of amounts expended in excess of this vote :— Increase of salary of Inspecting Engineer, Ist January to £ s. d. £ s. d. 31st March, £150 per annum ... ... ... 37 10 0 Less unexpended on Item 7 ... £16 13 4 8 ... 17 10 0 34 3 4 3 6 8 Temporary draftsmen and clerks' pay, labourers' wages, stamps B/L, freight on timber, specimens, metallic tapes ... 121 1 8 Advances outstanding— A. B. Keith, Travelling Auditor ... ... ... 45 0 0 Agent-General ... ... ... ... ... 35 0 0 80 0 0 Total ... ~. ... £204 8 4 Class 11., Vote 70, £267 7s. 18. Your-Committee find that the following are the purposes for which the vote was expended in excess of this vote : Passages and travelling expenses of Engineer in Charge, Inspecting Engineer, and others, law costs, extra clerks, printing specifications, extra draftsmen, telephone exchange, binding books, cleaning offices, shipping charges, office repairs, B/L stamps, freight on timber specimens, and labourers' wages.

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Travelling Allowance and Expenses. Hon. Dr. Pollen, for travelling expenditure Mr. J. Pulton Mr. J. T. Thomson, for travelling allowance Mr. J. G. Blackett Mr. W. Mitchell, ReporterTravelling allowance £ s. d. £ s. d. 40 18 0 43 0 0 44 2 ' 0 21 0 0 £ s. d. 22 10 1 0 5 6 ,, expenses 32 6 6 46 18 0 35 4 6 47 5 0 5 10 0 4 0 6 0 12 2 Horse hire ... Coach and carriage hire Steamer fares Special train Railway fares freight £32014 10 Miscellaneous. P. M. Foy, remuneration for services rendered ... Sundry disbursements made by Secretary for horsefeed, cab-hire, &c. 15 12 0 5 0 5 £27 5 5