I move "That an additional sum of £103,500 be granted for the year ending the 31st March, 1923, for the salaries and expenses of the Post Office, including Telegraphs and Telephones." This is the first year in which the Irish Post Office has had a separate Vote, and in framing their original and first Estimate it was inevitable that they should have lacked sufficient information to enable them to indicate accurately their requirements, the information not being available to enable them to indicate accurately their requirements.
Provincial Offices, £12,000.—Sufficient provision was not made in the original Estimated for the cost of retention of the "Douglas" Award in provinces and for the payment of arrears due on the revision of Postmasters' Salaries of April, 1920, and for increases at the triennial review made after the original estimated was framed.
Travelling and Subsistence Allowances, £3,670.—Insufficient data existed at the time the original Estimate was framed.
Rent, Office Fittings, etc., £3,500.— Sufficient provision was not made in the original Estimate for heavy expenditure on the supplies during the winter months of fuel and light.
Uniforms, Clothing, £14,490.—The additional expenditure is required for payment to Great Britain for the appropriate proportion of the stocks held in the Post Office Store Depots on 1st April, 1922.
Losses by Default, £12,000.—The original estimate of £18,000 was insufficient and has to be supplemented by an additional sum of £12,000.
Engineering Materials, £20,850.—This expenditure has been incurred in the purchase of materials for the repair of unforeseen malicious damages to Post Office property, to the repair of damaged Stores, and to the purchase of the necessary additional stocks, rendered necessary by the separation of the Irish Free State Post Office from the British Post Office.
Wayleaves, £50.—The small excess here is due to incomplete information when the original Estimate was framed. Payments under this Sub-head are made for the right to lay telegraph or telephone wires in particular areas or positions.
Annuities in Respect of Debt, £44,800.—This sum was originally omitted from the Estimate as it had not then been settled whether the Free State was to bear the annuity charges in respect of capital borrowed for construction work in this country on the telegraph and telephone system. At a recent Conference in London it was settled that this charge should be borne and provision is included accordingly.
Superannuation, £21,000.—This expenditure has been incurred by the retirements under Article X. of the Treaty, and could not be foreseen. Of this £19,800 consists of lump sum payments in individual cases which are non-recurrent.
Appropriations in Aid; Deficiency £39,978.—The figures incorporated in the original Estimate were based on those supplied by the British Post Office and have proved inaccurate.
Savings on other Sub-Heads, £68,939.—The main items on which savings have been effected are in the conveyance of mails by rail (£10,000), in the salaries, wages, and allowances of the Engineering Staff owing to normal work not being carried out (£25,000), and in the cost of the Savings Bank staff, which is only being taken over from 1st January, 1923, instead of 1st April, 1922, as anticipated (£25,500).
