including that incurred on behalf of the Services, amounted to $1,665,885,773, exceeding the highest annual expenditure ever recorded last financial year by $431,028,383 or 34.90%. This expenditure represents 32.23% of the total Government expenditure for the 1973/74 financial year and maintains the Public Works Department in its position as the largest spending department in Government.
2.26
As may be seen from the comparative analysis of expenditure at Appendix F there have been substantial increases in nearly all classes of expenditure and these are reflected also in the number of payment vouchers examined and passed for payment. There were 23,353 of these as against 20,998 in the previous year, an increase of 11.2%.
Head 61 Public Works Department
Personal Emoluments
2.27 There was a further increase in the approved establishment of the Department, which rose to 15,799 from 14,951 in the previous year. The resultant expenditure was $225,596,580 or 13.54% of total Departmental expenditure, which exceeded the approved estimate of $200,000,000 by $25,596,580 and showed an increase of $45,426,695 or 25.21% over the previous year's expenditure.
2.28
The amount of overtime worked during the year was higher than that for 1972/73, indicated by the processing of 67,529 claims representing 2,250,604 hours or 281,326 man days and the total expenditure on this account rose from $12,734,005 to $14,804,130. The rises are mainly attributable to the increases in hourly rates and the payments of adjustments during the year as a result of salary revisions.
Other Charges
2.29 Departmental expenditure under 'Other Charges Annually Recurrent' increased by a further $1,331,942 or 20.43% to $7,850,991. The increase is mainly due to the rise in prices for the purchase of stores and equipment and the increase in activities of the Department as a whole.
2.30
There was a continuing requirement for officers to use their private vehicles for duty journeys and 8,606 claims for mileage allowance were processed during the year, resulting in the expenditure of $1,672,902.
Head 62 - Public Works Recurrent
Buildings and Lands
2.31
Recurrent expenditure showed a further increase during the year, reaching a total of $50,903,459 as compared with $42,998,067 in 1972/73, divided among the Offices concerned as follows:-
(a) Architectural Office 1972/73 34,572,206 1973/74 42,383,060 (b) Buildings Ordinance Office 3,311,672 5,114,189 (c) Crown Lands & Survey Office 8,503 8,511,896 11