Committee Reports::Report - Appropriation Accounts 1951 - 1952::18 February, 1954::Appendix

APPENDIX XIII.

ISSUE OF WARRANTS IN RESPECT OF ARREARS OF LAND ANNUITIES.

Secretary,


Committee of Public Accounts.


At the proceedings of the Committee on 23rd instant, I undertook to furnish a note in connection with subhead G of the Vote for Lands.


When the estimate for the subhead in respect of the year 1951/52 was being prepared in the autumn of 1950, the number of warrants (for recovery of unpaid instalments of land purchase annuities, etc.) issued during the preceding twelve months was 35,009, and there was no reason to anticipate a substantial increase in that number during 1951/52. The number eventually issued for that year, however, was 40,462—an increase of slightly more than one-seventh on the figure which formed the basis of the estimate. It will be noted that the excess expenditure of £1,036 5s. 8d. under subhead G also represents an increase of slightly more than one-seventh on the estimate of £7,000.


The collection of the instalments due 1st November/1st December, 1950, was hampered by the banks strike. The main issue of warrants for those instalments did not commence for several weeks after the reopening of the banks, and was not completed until June, 1951.


(Signed) T. O’BRIEN,


Secretary,


Department of Lands.


31 Iúil, 1953.