Page images
PDF
EPUB

CLASS II --Continued.

VOTE 8.

BOARD OF TRADE.

REPORT OF THE COMPTROLLER AND AUDITOR GENERAL.

Excess.

Sub-Head C.
Port of
London Bill.

North Sea

1. EXPENDITURE in excess of the Estimate has taken place under Sub-Heads A., D., F., S., V., and Y.

2. A charge of 4,2407. 68. 8d. is included under Sub-Head C., Special Services, for costs incurred in connection with the Port of London Bill during 1903-4 and 1904-5. A clause in this Bill had provided that all expenses in connection therewith should be repaid to the Board of Trade by the Port of London Commission, but as the Bill failed to become law, it became necessary to make provision for the expenditure in the Estimates for 1905-6.

3. Further sums amounting to 183l. 11s. 4d. have been charged to Sub-Heads H Fishing Fleet and I. for expenses in connection with the inquiry held by the Board of Trade, bringing Incident. the total up to 3,161l. 168. 1d.

North Sea

4. Out of the sum of 65,000l. received from the Russian Government in satisfaction Award Fund. of all claims for compensation, the total amount distributed up to 31st March 1906, was 64,9927., leaving a balance of 81. standing to the credit of the account pending the possible application of the two persons interested.

Sub-Head I. Costs in connection

Claims,

5. The Expenditure under Sub-Head I. includes a sum of 100l., paid, with Treasury sanction, as a contribution towards costs amounting to over 200l., which were incurred by the Salvors in connection with the legal proceedings arising out of the salvage of with Salvage certain goods from the German barque " Optima." The necessity for this payment from public funds, sanctioned by the Treasury as a matter of grace and favour, arose in consequence of the acting Receiver of Wreck not having detained the salved property in question as required by Statute, and the Salvors were obliged to take legal proceedings to recover the charges from the underwriters.

Sub-Head T. 6. With reference to paragraph 8 of my Report upon the account for 1904-5, in Commercial which it was stated that vouchers had not been rendered to my Department in respect Missions. of an advance of 400l. in connection with a Mission to Australia and New Zealand, I have now to state that this sum is part of an inclusive fee of 1,250l., for which subvouchers are not required. In addition to the above sum of 400l., an amount of 650l. has been charged in 1905-6 under Sub-Head T., bringing the total charge up to 31st March 1906, to 1,0501.

CLASS II.-continued.

VOTE 8.-BOARD OF TRADE-continued.

7. The Amount to be Surrendered is, as shown by the Account, 9,490l. 1s. 9d.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

Surplus.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

In addition to the Appropriations in Aid shown on the Account, it appears from a Fee Statement furnished to me by the Inland Revenue Department that 261,2527. 14s. 6d. was Stamps. received in that Department during the year in connection with this Vote, in respect of the sale of Fee Stamps for Patents for Inventions, Designs, and Trade Marks.

It also appears from the same Statement that 72,446. 138. 10d. was received for Fee Stamps on Companies Registration in the United Kingdom. A large part of the services for which these fees are collected is performed by the Board of Trade.

John A. Kempe,

Comptroller and Auditor General.

CLASS II. Continued.

VOTE 9.

MERCANTILE MARINE SERVICES.

ACCOUNT of the Sum Expended, compared with the Sum Granted, to pay the Salaries and Expenses of certain SERVICES transferred from the MERCANTILE MARINE FUND (61 and 62 Vict. c. 44, ss. 1 and 4) and other Services connected with the MERCANTILE MARINE in the Year ended 31 March 1906, showing the Surplus or Deficit upon each Sub-Head of the Vote.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

CLASS II. continued.

VOTE 9.-MERCANTILE MARINE SERVICES-continued.

EXPLANATION of the Causes of Variation between Expenditure and Grant.

A.-Saving due to deaths and retirements.

B.-Over-estimated.

C.-Provision was made for extensive repairs to one of the launches, which it was found possible to

postpone.

D.-Over-estimated.

E. There were more investigations than expected.

F. Slight variation.

G.-Saving due to deaths and retirements.

H.-Under-estimated. The increase in fees received caused by a greater number of vessels coming up for survey alluded to under Sub-Head W. caused a corresponding increase in the expenditure under this Sub-Head.

I.Extensive repairs to one of the launches became necessary during the year.

K.-Under-estimated.

L.- Under-estimated.

M.--The Wreck Returns were less numerous than anticipated.

N.-Over-estimated.

O. Slight variation.

P. The remuneration awarded and the travelling and incidental expenses were greater than expected Q.-Slightly over-estimated.

R.-Over-estimated.

S.-Excess largely due to certain charges now falling upon the Vote which had been held in suspense pending the settlement of legal points. Claims amounting to 1,556. 16s. 5d. have been abandoned with Treasury sanction.

T.-Over-estimated.

U.-Under-estimated.

V.-Nil.

Loss by Fraud. Sub-Head opened by Treasury authority (Letter No. 13496, 24 Sept. 1906) in consequence of defalcations by a Vice-Consul at Buenos Ayres.

W.-Appropriations in Aid :

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The Surplus of 5,5821. 7s. 9d. shown on the Account of the Vote "Mercantile Marine Services," for the year ended 31st March 1905, has been surrendered.

Board of Trade.

30 November 1906. J

T. IV. P. Blomefield,

Accounting Officer.

I certify that this Account has been examined under my directions, and is correct.

Examined,
H. J. Bidwell.

John A. Kempe, Comptroller and Auditor General.

« PreviousContinue »