H—3o

Expenses to 31st March, 1946 £ s. d. £ s. d. Salaries .. .. .. .. .. .. 897 4 5 Rent, phone, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 52 10 0 Postages and petty expenses .. .. .. .. 31116 Audit fee .. .. .. .. .. 20 0 0 Bank fee and cheque-books .. .. .. .. 410 0 Travelling-expenses .. .. .. .. .. 24 5 3 Bureau fees .. .. .. .. .. 1 1 10 1,031 3 0 Bank balance as at 31st March, 1946 .. .. .. .. 26,150 19 8 Less unpaid claims at 31st March, 1946 .. .. .. 13,276 611 12,874 12 9 Plus levy on hides freed for export to 31st March 1946 and unshipped 16,760 0 0 Estimated surplus in Fund .. .. .. £28,634 12 9 Stabilization.—An estimate of the financial position as at 31st January, 1946, revealed that the credit balance was down to £1,161 4s. Id., and a request was made to stabilization for the fund to be restored to £40,000 as previously agreed upon in lieu of raising the export levy. In March £35,000 was duly paid over, and a further £5,000 has since been received owing to the actual position as at 31st January, 1946, showing a debit balance of £939. General.—l desire to again express my thanks to the members of the Committee, the Government Departments concerned, and to all sections of the trade for their willing assistance at all times. LINEN FLAX The annual report for 1941 set out the terms of sale to the United Kingdom Ministry of Supply of New Zealand's export production of linen-flax fibre, this covering the period of hostilities between the British Empire and Germany and one year thereafter. It should be noted that negotiations have since been concluded for the sale of the exportable surplus of fibre from the 1946 crop. Shipments from Ist August, 1945, to 31st July, 1946, were as under : Tons. cwfc. Linen-flax fibre and reiss .. .. .. .. 843 5 Tow and pluckings .. .. .. .. .. 433 17 1,277 2 The total value f.o.b. (New Zealand currency) of these exports was £243,140. SCHEELITE No further extension of contract with the United Kingdom Government was made after the 30th June, 1945. Stocks in store at that date were shipped under the then existing contract, and the figures covering the final transactions are shown in last year's annual report of the Department. SHIPMENTS TO TAHITI Since the close of the year under review (31st July, 1946) the conclusion has been reached of the arrangements whereby the Department has been purchasing and shipping to Tahiti, on behalf of the Administration, miscellaneous supplies in the nature of canned meats, processed milk, butter and cheese, &c. These arrangements

39