I move:—
That a Supplementary sum not exceeding £9,300 be granted to defray the Charge which will come in course of payment during the year, ending on the 31st day of March, 1924, for the Salaries and Expenses of the Office of Public Works (1 & 2 Will. IV., c. 33, ss. 5 & 6; 5 & 6 Vict., c. 89, ss. 1 & 2; 9 & 10 Vict., c. 86, ss. 2, 7 and 9; 10 Vict., c. 32, s. 3; 33 & 34 Vict., c. 46, s. 42; 40 & 41 Vict., c. 27; 44 & 45, c. 49, s. 31; 59 & 60 Vict., c. 34, &c.).
The increase in the sum required for this service is due mainly to expenditure on travelling in excess of the amount anticipated when the Estimate was originally framed, and secondly to the non-realisation of the expenditure anticipated and the appropriations-in-aid. The increased travelling on the part of the officials of the Board of Works is directly due to the period of hostilities, the destruction of military buildings on a large scale, and the occupation by the Army of non-military premises, resulting in the presentation to the Government of an immense number of claims for injury and damage done by the troops during occupation. These claims have had to be examined in detail and on the spot. An estimate of the actual cost of occupation, and the result of damage, is being presented in the supplementary estimate for public works.
As regards the decrease in the appropriations-in-aid, the effect of which is to swell the net total for this service, the original estimate of £16,218 represents the percentage charged on the expenditure incurred by the Board of Works, acting as agents for the British Government service. The greater portion of this sum represents the charge on an anticipated expenditure of £6,000 on the erection of cottages for British ex-Service men. When the estimate was prepared in January, 1923, it was expected that the Trust which would be established to complete these schemes would be set up, and would function at an early date. This was not realised, and the Trust did not actually start to function until the 1st January, 1924. A number of schemes was held up for consideration by the Trust, but in view of the delay, no contracts could be entered into during the year. The expenditure was further curtailed by reason of the fact that in connection with 200 of these cottages, building operations were suspended. Instead, therefore, of an expenditure of £600,000 in connection with this service, as would have been the case but for the unexpected delay, the actual expenditure was very much less.