8.--7 [Pt. I]

YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH, 1944.

MINES DEPARTMENT—continued.

(а) Number of officers, 7. Travelling-allowances, £113 ; travelling-expenses, £101; motor hire, £11. (б) Proposed surveys not all carried out. (c) Overexpenditure due to the number of meetings held and the amount of travelling done. (d) Additional accommodation in Head Office necessary, together with more night work.

139

Number ol Persons. 1942—43. VOTE—MINES—continued. 1943-44. 1943-441942-43 ... , Voted. Expended, Subdivision No. III. —Assistance towards Mining— ' continued. £ £ £ Other Charges for and incidental to —continued. Postage, telegrams, and rent of boxes .. .. .. 25 100 9 Printing and stationery .. .. .. .. 20 50 1 Purchase of miners'tools and general stores (recoverable).. 10,000 10,000 7,593 Purchase of plant and machinery .. .. .. 250 4,200 4,391 Rents .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 40 33 Refunds of revenue due to Social Security Fund .. 10 40 1 Restoration of dredged lands (recoverable) .. .. 100 100 Search for and production of gold and other minerals — £ Subsidies to prospectors .. .. 500 Subsidies, loans, and other forms of financial assistance to companies and individuals engaged in prospecting and/or mining for gold, coal, and other minerals, and assistance to cover flood damage (partly recoverable) .. 40,000 Surveys, prospecting, mining, and development work in selected areas (including erection of treatment plants) .. .. .. 5,000 Stores and equipment supplied to subsidized prospectors (partly recoverable) .. 250 45,750 47,400 47,635 Schools of Mines .. .. .. .. .. 3,900 3,900 3,695 Social amenities in mining townships .. .. .. 1,500 1,500 715 Telephone services .. .. .. .. .. 50 100 26 Travelling allowances and expenses .. .. .. 350 500 (a) 225 Transportation expenses of National Check Inspector .. 100 100 66 Estimated credits-in-aid under Section 51 of the Public Revenues Act, 1926 (see end of vote) — £ Drilling-expenses .. .. .. 200 Maintenance and construction of roads and works .. .. .. .. 100 Prospecting and search for minerals .. 4,000 Restoration of dredged lands .. .. 1,500 Sale of tools and general stores to miners .. 10,000 Stores supplied to prospectors, &c. .. 200 Schools of Mines .. .. .. 50 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 1,400 17,450 81,170 81,455 73,105 Total —Subdivision No. Ill .. .. 85,162 86,277 77,331 Subdivision No. IV.—Miscellaneous Services. Charges for and incidental to — Advertising, photographs, books, newspapers, and other publications .. .. .. .. .. 100 100 65 Aerial surveys of coal and gold fields .. .. .. 4-00 650 ( b) 267 Coal-mines Council: Fees and expenses of members and incidentals .. .. .. .. .. 1,200 1,000 (c) 1,705 Collecting goldfields revenue (partly recoverable) .. 150 200 105 Examinations, Mining and Coal-mines Acts .. .. 150 150 123 Fire-watching expenses and E.P.S. equipment .... 10 20 9 Freight, cartage, and transport charges .. .. 40 20 72 Fuel, light, water, and cleaning .. .. .. (d) 160 120 134 Instruments and apparatus .. .. .. .. 100 100 22