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167. A close liaison has been maintained with the War Assets Realization Board in all matters affecting stock disposals. (iii) Munitions Section 168. The Munition Controller's Office ceased to function as a separate organization at the end of the year under review, and the few remaining activities of the Munitions Controller have now been taken over by the Department. (iv) Commodity Prices Committee 169. The Commodity Prices Committee which was constituted in 1943 consists of two members from the Treasury Department and two members from this Department. The duties of the Committee have been to make recommendations to the Commissioner of Supply, subject to approval where necessary of the Price Tribunal and the Stabilization Commission, in connection with arranging and adjusting prices, and adjudicating in any dispute on matters in which the Ministry of Supply has become involved arising out of the trading operations of the Department. 170. Since the cessation of lend lease and mutual aid procurement the duties of the -Committee have been substantially curtailed, although the policy of having all orders placed overseas by the Department scrutinized the Committee was adhered to. In addition, the prices at which the remaining Ministry of Supply reserve stocks were sold w.ere approved by the Committee. (b) Department oe Industries and Commerce 171. The past year was the first complete period during which the expenditure and revenue of the Department of Industries and Commerce was separately recorded, and for that reason comparable figures of expenditure and revenue for previous years are not available. 172. The following is a summary of the figures for the financial year ended 31st March, 1947 : Expenditure Salaries — £ £ General .. .. .. .. 185,533 Standards Institute .. .. .. 16,743 202,276 . General maintenance (consolidated) .. .. .. 77,954 Food Control: total expenditure, including salaries . .. 110,538 Price Tribunal: total expenditure, including salaries .. 72,460 Flax industry : Moutoa Estate .. .. .. .. 42,689 Standards Institute : total expenditure other than salaries.. 7,157 Total .. .. .. .. ..£513,074 Revenue From all sources : Total .. ~ .. .. £18,243 SECTION 2 —LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICE (a) Library 173. During the past year the departmental library has been extensively used as a source of reference and assistance to officers of the Department, manufacturers, educational institutions and research students. The technical service provided by the Department, in conjunction with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, has been of increasing value to manufacturers, and many new enterprises have been assisted in improving production technique. The Industrial Bulletin as a source of

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