B.— 4a

Items —Destruction of Noxious Weeds on — Crown Lands, £1,000. Native Lands, £50. Other Lands, £40. 1020. Consideration of these items opens up the general question of the control and destruction of noxious weeds throughout the Dominion. It has been estimated that the cost of the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act is approximately £10,000 per annum. A good deal of this expenditure is in respect of salaries of officers whose time is only partly occupied on this class of work. The fact remains, however, that in the aggregate the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act involves a cost of some £10,000 to the State, and the amendment or repeal of the Act should be seriously considered. 1021. We recommend that the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act should be handed over to the local authorities throughout the Dominion. This should not throw any great financial burden on them, as the present staffs should be able to cope with the work in a large measure, thus obviating the appointment of special Inspectors. This is one alternative to the present system. 1022. If this is found to be impracticable, we recommend that the Noxious Weeds Act be repealed. Despite the most strenuous efforts and the expenditure of considerable sums of public money, the position in regard to noxious weeds has not improved. 1023. As previously explained, the number of officers directly and exclusively engaged on the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act is small, and it will not be possible to dispense with a number of officers on account only of the amendment or repeal of the Act. Nevertheless, the departmental officers throughout New Zealand will be relieved of a considerable amount of work which at present must be undertaken, and this should, in turn, enable the Department to reduce its total staff. 1024. We would estimate the saving in administrative costs at from to £10,000. 1025. The recommendations set out above, while not strictly appropriate to the items under discussion, nevertheless have a bearing on them. It may still be necessary to provide a certain amount of money for the destruction of noxious weeds on lands of the Crown, but we recommend that the total of the three items be reduced by at least 50 per cent. Estimated saving on these items, £545. Item—Wages, &c., Poison-mixing Depots: Trading Section, £1,250. 1026. A part of the expenditure provided under this item is recoverable. It is noted, however, that according to the Profit and Loss Account for 1930-31 there was a loss of £463 on the year's operations. Steps should be taken to make the poison-making and distribution depots selfsupporting and we recommend the review of charges with this end in view. 1027. It may be argued that depreciation and interest charges more than account for this loss, but the fact remains that overhead charges, such as these, are part and parcel of the cost of manufacture and distribution and should be recovered.. Such charges could not be ignored by private enterprise, and we see no reason why a distinction should be made in connection with a Government activity. Saving, say, £400. Item—Experimental Farm, Mamalm, £1,000. 1028. This item provides for the working - expenses of the experimental farm in connection with bush sickness. The accounts for 1930-31 disclose a loss of £1,232 on the year's operations after taking into account all charges such as interest and depreciation. It is understood that a portion of the farm has now been disposed of. We are of opinion that the time has now arrived when the Experimental Station should be closed, and recommend accordingly. This should result in a saving on all charges including overhead of, say, £1,000, and the Consolidated Fund would obtain the immediate benefit of the proceeds from the sale of stock now on hand. Saving, £1,000. Item —Inspection of Manure-sterilizing (India) : Labour, travelling, &c., £400. 1029. The sum of £265 only is required for 1932-33. Saving, £135. Item—lnvestigation into Deficiency Diseases of Stock, Sc., £460. 1030. This item should be reduced by at least £260. Saving, £260. Item —Poultry Experimental Station (Wallaceville), &c., £900. 1031. This item is to provide for the equipment and working-expenses of the Poultry Experimental Station at Wallaceville. The station is conducted at a loss and we recommend that it be closed. The accounts for 1930-31 disclose a total loss of £848, including depreciation and interest. Even eliminating these items, the station does not pay its way, and, although good results may have been obtained in the past, we think that under present conditions the station should be closed and the general taxpayer relieved of the annual loss. Saving, £800.

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