D.—l

As suitable staff becomes available, surveys are being commenced in connection with proposals associated with the planning of works for the post-war period and especially those relating to rehabilitation. I wish to acknowledge the continued services of the officers and workmen of the Department, who have not spared themselves in carrying out the very urgent programme of a large number of works! required in connection with the Dominion's war 1 effort. At the end of the year 1,019 officers of the Department were serving with the forces, and I very much regret that 41 have made the supreme sacrifice and that many have suffered casualties or are prisoners of war. FINANCE The payments and receipts in connection with the Public Works Account and other associated votes and accounts for the year 1942-43 are shown in the tabulation following. By reason of the extensive construction work carried out, by my Department, as part of the Dominion defence programme, on behalf of the respective Defence Services, the expenditure administered through the Department reached a gross total of £25,925,772, details of which are set out below. The amounts received as credits-in-aid show an aggregate of £3,638,181, leaving net expenditure at £22,287,591. Of this sum, £16,507,422 represented direct war expenditure outside the Department's ordinary accounts, and the remaining £5,780,169 includes maintenance services in respect of main highways, public buildings, electric-supply undertakings, &c., as well as expenditure on particular work associated with the war effort, such as linen-flax development. Revenue collected by the Department totalled £2,299,186 for the year, and of this sum £2,190,278 represents the sale of electrical energy and miscellaneous receipts credited to the Electric Supply Account. The balance is made up of irrigation revenue and other sundry receipts exclusive of taxation for main highways purposes, which is collected by other Departments.

II

Expenditure, 1042-43. Class of Work. Gross. Credits. Net. Expenditure, Public Works Account £ £ £ Public works, departmental .. .. .. .. 649,840 649,940 Cr. 100 Railway construction .. .. .. .. .. 337,528 103,699 233,829 Public buildings ... .. .. .. .. 475,056 20,824 454,232 Education buildings .. .. .. .. .. 207,391 2,678 204,713 Lighthouses and harbour-works .. .. .. .. 7,665 591 7,074 Roads, &c 154,148 26,187 127,961 Lands, miscellaneous .. .. .. .. 41,939 24,344 17,595 Irrigation, water-supply, and drainage .. .. .. 208,313 126,317 81,996 Linen-flax development .. .. .. .. .. 910,445 388,876 521,569 J__ Totals, General Purposes Account.. .. 2,992,325 1,343,456 1,648,869 Electric Supply Account— Construction .. .. .. .. .. 1,492,205 10,863 1,481,342 Working-expenses .. .. .. .. .. 658,786 124,847 533,939 Totals, Public Works Account .. .. .. 5,143,316 1,479,166 3,664,150 Expenditure, other Votes and Accounts Main Highways Account — Annual appropriation — Construction, reconstruction, and improvements .. 181,952 46,167 135,785 Maintenance, repairs, and renewals .. .. .. 1,185,854 129,4-52 1,056,402 Administration, plant, and miscellaneous expenditure .. 30,468 54,854 Cr. 24,386 Interest, fees, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 455,757 .. 455,757 Permanent appropriations (rate subsidies, interest on transfer from Public Works Eund, &c.) .. .. .. 313,552 .. 313,552 Consolidated Fund— Maintenance, public buildings, roads, &c. .. .. 303,249 46,656 256,593 Plant, material, and miscellaneous services .. .. 1,804,202 1",881,886 Cr. 77,684 Other accounts (expenditure by Public Works Department): Amounts not included above .. .. .. .. 16,507,422 .. 16,507,422 Totals, other votes and accounts .. .. .. 20,782,456 2,159,015 18,623,441 Grand total of expenditure, Public Works Account and other votes and accounts, for the year ended 31st March, 1943 .. 25,925,772 3,638,181 22,287,591