Hand

£13,500,000 IN

Australian War Damage Commission

rOM its establishment in 1942, until December 31, 1944, the Australian War Damage Commission has re ceived—mostly by means of a compulsory levy on property in Australia—the sum of £15,347,152. It had paid out, in the same period, as follows: Claims assessed and recorded .. £938,289 Interest on recorded claims .. 61,554 Claims expenses and cost of running the Commission .. 399,587 This leaves a balance of £13,947,722 in the hands of the Commission. The total of all claims received is as follows: New Guinea £11,497,534 Papua 1,942,833 Northern Territory 109,984 Other areas 9,0069 £l3 559 420 Of these, £938,289 have been recorded, and £276,325 have been disallowed. • Generally speaking, the Commission is regarded as an efficient and well-man aged institution. Therefore, the cost of administration and of investigation of claims, to December 31, nearly £400.000, is a little startling.' It is explained that it includes the heavy original cost of creat ing an Australian-wide organisation, thought to be necessary in the first place, and of collecting over £15.000,000.

Total number of claims lodged was 4,089. and 2,488 have been dealt with, wholly or in part. The balance, 1,601, obviously includes the claims of the big companies.