CO129-597-1 Estimates 1948 15-11-1946 - 12-6-1948 — Page 89

tentatively made.

However, it can be assumed with reasonable certainty that expenditure to the 31st March is unlikely to exceed $130,000,000. may be a good deal less.

It

Although the revenue to date has not sufficed to meet the whole of our recurrent expenditure, all local expenditure and a percentage of the Crown Agents' expenditure has been met without outside aid. The deficit on the Year's working is expected to be in the region of $52,000,000 though this figure will of course have to be revised if the revised expenditure figure of $130,000,000 proves to be an over-estimate.

In respect of 1947/48 the primary objective has been to achieve a balance between revenue and recurrent expenditure. The expenditure estimate is complicated by the fact that the Secretary of State has approved of the early appointment of a Salaries Commission to review the emoluments of the public service. It is generally agreed that these are at present inadequate and it is therefore only prudent to make some allowance for the additional expenditure which will result from the recommendations of the Commission. This has been done by increasing the provision under Miscellaneous Services for cost of living, rehabilitation and special allowances by $5,000,000 over and a bove the figure required to cover the present scale of allowances. sum will thus be available for transfer to departmental votes as required.

This

Another factor may be mentioned for which it has been necessary to make special provision. It is intended that the new Municipality shall be established in the course of the coming financial year and until certain Heads of Revenue are transferred to that body it will be necessary for them to have on which they can draw.

a working balance A sum of $1,500,000 has accordingly been included under the Miscellaneous Services Head as an initial grant to the Municipal Council. Making allowance for these two factors the total recurrent expenditure is estimated at $109,488,433, against an estimated revenue of $109,839,750.

·

Unfortunately the rehabilitation of the Colony is far from complete and in addition to the normal recurrent expenditure it is necessary to include once again in the budget very heavy provision for Spe cial Expenditure for rehabilitation purposes. Of the sum of $77,777,447 coined in the 1946/47 Budget under Special Expenditure and hic Works Extraordinary not more than $40,000,000 will in all probability be spent owing to delays in deliveries. Much of the provision for rehabilitation expenditure in 1947/48 will therefore consist of re-votes in respect of equipment. Considerable additional rolling stock will however be required for the railway and heavy expenditure will also be necessary on wireless equipment for the police and air services and for broadcasting. It is necessary to undertake a large public works programme during the year and the total

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