THE REVENUE RETURNS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1427, 8 December 1886, Page 3

THE REVENUE RETURNS.

(N. Z. Times ) Hitherto some hopes have been enfe~tained that there would be a rcovory In the Customs and Railway revenue during the latter half of the currentfinancial year, and that some of the heavy deficit exhibited by the first half would thus be wiped off Unfortunately tbe prospects of this hope being realizsd seem th grow fainter and fainter. Instead of fiscal matters Improving they have gone steadily from bad to worse, and the latest report is the worst of all. It Is startling Ip find a month’s Customs falling short of “ figures.” Yet last month’s receipts only amounted In round numbers to £89,400, and for the first eight months of the official year the return is under £852, 000, whereas it ought to have been £940,000 at the proportionate rate of the Treasurer’s estimate. At this rate the year’s Customs would bring in less than £1,280,000 instead of £1,410 000, representing a deficiency of over £130,0D0. This is a very awkward state of affairs, and it must be confessed that, so far, there seems no valid ground for entertaining any hope that this de3oienp|t in Customs will be averted. In these circumstances the necessity for stringent ntrenchmem in expenditure becomes of p*ramout,t Importance, and some definite move in that direction cannot be much longer delayed without grave risk of disas er.