CO129-623-9 Estimates of Expenditure- includes a report for the year ending March 1952 1-2-1951 - 30-11-1951 — Page 141

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Head 18. Marine Department.

Estimate 1951/52.

Revised Estimate 1950/51. Approved Estimate 1950/51. Actual Expenditure 1949/50.

$11,819,481

4,782,819 6,169,258

3,972,852

of the increase of $149,945 in personal e noluments, $110,000 is accounted for by the additional provision for overtime allowances. This provision was considerably under- estimated last year and the revised total represents a more realistic picture of the longer hours worked by officers of this department. Most of the balance of the increase is accounted for by increments because few changes in staff have occurred. There have been a number of transfers of Senior Executive and Executive Officers, and Clerks of the General Clerical Service. A new post of Woman Confidential Assistant Class II was authorized during the year. Three supernumerary posts covering officers on leave pending retirement have been abolished. These were two Surveyors of Ships and one Officer-in-Charge of the Gunpowder Depot. One Coxswain Class II and one Engineer Class IV have been transferred to the Fire Brigade to man a fire float at Aberdeen and one Motor Driver has been abolished consequent on the return of the departmental car to the transport pool.

The

The increase of $344,500 in recurrent expenditure is almost entirely due to the extra $500,000 provided for repairs, minor improvements and stores for launches. existing fleet which is largely the same as it was on reconstitution after the reoccupation of the Colony is no longer efficient. Steps are being taken to replace vessels but until they are forthcoming maintenance costs, also swelled by increased prices, are necessarily high. The provision

of $132,000 for wharf rents in 1950/51 is no longer required but as a corresponding amount was recorded under revenue, there is no real saving on this item. Increased costs also account chiefly for the extra $18,500 required for stores and equipment, but part of the increase is cff-set by the deletion of the previous sub-head for equipment for Surveyor of Ship's office for which $8,000 was shown last year!

A saving of $50,000 has been made on coal and fuel oil but this has been partly absorbed by an extra $10,000 for fuel, light and power, $5,000 for incidental expenses, and $4,000 for travelling expenses. The former provision of $3,000 for the upkeep of vehicles is no longer necessary.

There has been a very large increase of $5,155,778 in Special Expenditure. In the course of last year it became apparent that the cost of maintaining a number of Government vessels, which were of wartime manufacture and were not built to last, was uneconomic. decided to take immediate steps to replace them, and

It was accordingly consequently orders were placed for a number of night soil and refuse barges. A re-vote of $1,606,200 is provided to cover expenditure not incurred in 1950/51. This new item is partly off-set by the deletion of $660,000 in the Sanitary Department's estimates for night soil and refuse barges. A sum of $1,395,000 is also included for lighters and other craft for the Fire Brigade, Post Office, Stores Department, Marine Department, and the Government Marketing Organizations.

Tenders have been accepted for a new fire float and the cost was much higher than was originally anticipated. It is consequently necessary to re-vote $2,032,776 to cover