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H.—36

1922. NEW ZEALAND.

PRINTING AND STATIONERY DEPARTMENT (ANNUAL REPORT OF THE) FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1922.

Laid, on the Table of the House of Representatives by Leave.

Sir, — Printing and Stationery Department, Wellington, 18th May, 1922. I have the honour to submit the annual report upon the working of this Department for the year ended 31st March, 1922. The tables accompanying the report show the nature, extent, and result of the year's working. Gazette. —The number printed was 1,275, the number of subscribers 189, and the amount received £562 10s. Hansard. —The number of Hansards printed for session 1921-22 was 4,850, the number of subscribers 105, and the amount received £51 ss. Stamp-printing. —The number of sheets of stamps of various values printed was 1,089,841, the number of stamps' 134,224,173, and the value £3,892,478. Stereo and Electro Plates. —The number of stereo-plates cast during the year was 21,861, the weight 19,4501b. The number of electrotypes was 13,406, and the weight 2,020 lb. Rubber Stamps. —The number of rubber stamps made was 6,053. Uailway Tickets. —9,783,764 railway tickets were printed, the largest number (1,129,717) being printed in November. Work of the Year. —Although economy has been exercised in State printing the Department has been kept fairly busy, and a large staff is still employed ; but there has not been the same necessity to work overtime to keep pace with requirements. Two staffs arc still engaged in the Machine Branch, but the work of this branch has decreased, necessitating a, slight curtailment of staff. Paper and Stationery. —Paper is coming back to normal. Prices are still on the down grade, and there is no difficulty in obtaining supplies. This reduction in the price, of paper should result in a considerable saving in the cost of printing the regular Government publications. Stationery prices are not falling so rapidly as paper, and in some few cases they have hardened ; supplies, however, are easily obtainable, and a drop in prices may be anticipated shortly. Machinery. —The cost of machinery is still high, but, as all manufacturers are now striving hard for new business, there should soon be an improvement in prices ruling for printing-machinery —from 100 to 150 per cent, above pre-war days. Three, railway-ticket-printing machines, manufactured by Waterlow and Sons, London, have replaced three out-of-date machines which have served their period ; and this branch is now in a better position to deal with the heavy demands made upon it for tickets at certain seasons of the year. A EadclifT quad, crown lithographic printing-machine has been installed, which lias much improved our lithographic plant. A. Smyth gluing-machine is under order for the Binding Branch, and should come to hand shortly. Though the Department is now fairly equipped with up-to-date machinery, it is necessary, in the interests of the State, that the latest and most improved machinery be installed. Finance. —It will be noted by the balance-sheet that the turnover has increased by £25,000, and the net profits by approximately £6,000. In past years the value of the land on which the Government Printing-works stand, has not been taken into account in our charges ; but at the beginning of the last financial year a revaluation of the land and buildings was made by the Valuation Department, with the result that a sum of over £60,000 now appears on the balance-sheet as the value of the land, and a further amount of £4,752 has been added to the value of the buildings, making a capital value of £106,600. It has thus been necessary to charge our profits with interest on an additional amount of £65,352 —the increase in the capital value of these assets as shown on the balance-sheet.

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