PROVINCE OF THE ORANGE FREE STATE

223

services and duties assigned to the Provinces. The following figures show the estimates of expenditure to be defrayed by the Orange Free State Pro- vince during the year ending March 31, 1913 and a comparison with the approximate expenditure in the preceding year.

Title.

Estimates 1912-13.

Union Subsidy 1912-13.

Re-votes

from 1911-12.

Estimated I Estimates Total } 1911-12. Extieudiiuret 1912-13. I

General Administration

Education ... ... ...

Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Roads and Local AVorks

Total £

£

14,500 258.500

19,400 249,100(1)

541,500

£

1,2^3

2,7(39

1,338

85,(510

91,000

£

15,783 261,269

20,738 334.710

632,500

£

13,825 207,309

16,955 231,300(2)

469,389

The following Services are rendi.

red free

Estimated Departmental Receipts of

by Union Government Depart

ments.

the Pjovince.

1912-13.

1911-12.

1912-13.

1911-12.

£

£

£

£

Aj;riculturc

100

—

Scliool Fees and

Public Health

10

50

Bursary Funds ...

19,000

16,050

Printing & Stationery

5,500

5.320

Hospital Fees, Ac.

2,800

2.800

Prisons

2,500

—

Deposits under

Forestry

227

120

Roads Ordinance

480

600

Irrigation

3,000

—

Miscellaneous

120

—

Public Works Depart-

Services ren<iered to

ment

8,000

—

other Departments

Nil

Nil

Posts, Telegraphs and

Telephones

1,920

4,000

Total ... £

Total ... £

21,257

9,490

22,400

19,-150

1 Includes 12,000?. from Loan Fxmds. - Includes Supplementary Estimates 50,OOOL

Production and Industry.— The Province consists of undulating plains, affording excellent grazing and wide tracks for agricultural purposes. Thf rainfall is moderate. The country is still mainly devoted to stock-farming, although a rapidly increasing quantity of grain is being raised, esjjccially in the Eastern Districts. The Department of Agriculture encourages practical and scientific farming of all kinds and is divided into branches dealing with experimental farm work, forestry, horticulture, dairying, sheej) and wool, stock diseases, kc. Experimental farms, forest stations, horticultural plots, &c. , have been established, and lectures are given in the various districts by specialists of the Department with a view to enabling the farmers to benefit by tli« latest improvements in agricultural methods. The Land Board, created in 1901, has been engaged in facilitating the settlement of British farmers. This Board was replaced on October 1, 1907, by the new Land Board provided for in the Letters Patent, who held ofiice and administered the afi"airs of

Land Settlement for 5 years from above date. Since October 1, 1901,