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The only change in recurrent expenditure is an additional $600 for the upkeep of vehicles in respect of an additional car transferred to Government House.
It is necessary to replace one of the departmental cars and provision of $10,500 is made under Special Expenditure. The hall carpets at Government House need to be replaced and $5,000 is included for this item.
Total expenditure amounts to $233,221 compared with $230,285 in 1950/51, an increase of $2,936.
Head 2. Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Department.
Estimate 1951/52.
Revised Estimate 1950/51. Approved Estimate 1950/51. Actual Expenditure 1949/50.
$1,834,967
During 1950, it was decided to group the existing separate departments of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and Gardens in one comprehensive department under the control of a Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The provision of $1,834,967 for 1951/52 for the new department must be compared with the sum of the provisions for the separate departments in 1950/51 which totalled 1,671,493.
There have been few changes in the former departmental establishments. In the Agriculture branch the two posts of Senior Agricultural Officer and Animal Husbandry Officer have been abolished and the activities of this section placed under the control of a Superintendent of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry. One post of Assistant Agricultural Officer has been down-graded to Agricultural Assistant Class I. In the Forestry branch, one post of Messenger has been abolished. In the Gardens branch, three new posts of Gardeners Class II have been created for the newly-constructed residences of the Colonial Secretary and Chief Justice. One new post of Statistical Assistant has been created to deal with statistical returns required by Government in respect of the sale of fish and vegetables. This work was previously done at the expense of the wholesale markets but it is not considered proper to continue this practice.
All expenditure on daily-paid labour is now shown under a separate sub-head of Other Charges. Consequently some sub-heads show apparent decreases which are simply caused by the elimination of charges for casual labour from the previous provisions. These are forestry services, labour for farm and animal husbandry, maintenance of gardens and grounds, and prevention and control of livestock diseases. There is an overall increase of 25,150 for casual labour consequent on the establishment during the year of new agricultural stations in the New Territories. Increases, totalling $100,000, are shown under the sub-heads for fish fry expenses and agricultural services. This expenditure is off-set by corresponding revenue. The sales
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