THE REVENUE RETURNS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1458, 17 January 1887, Page 2

THE REVENUE RETURNS.

(N.Z. Times ) CUSTOMS. The Customs revenue for tho year 1880 was £1 311,808 as compared with £1,428 809 m 1885, a decrease of £117,000. For the December quarter the Customs duties bliow a decrease m spirits, tob:cco, wine, beer, opium, goods by weight, and ad valorem duties, but cignrs, Bnuff, faa, coffee, cocoa, sugar, and miscellaneous duties show improvement. RAILWAYS The New Zealand railway returns for the first th rty-six weeks of the current financial year show that tho gross receipts were £647,876, as against £691,711 for the corresponding period of last year. The working expenses absorbed £485,272, as against £473,314 last year. Thus the receipts exhibited a decrease of about £44,000, while the working expenses had increased by about £12,000 Tho net profit is .therefore m round numbers £66,000 less than last year, although tho length open is 1654 miles instead of 1496 On the Hurunui-Bluff line the receipts were £40,000 loss than last year, but the working expenses wero the same with n £50, although 86 more miles had been opened. This proves that ri&id economy must have been exercised m the working. ; n tho Picton line the working expenses swallowed up tho whole reoeipts and near'y £200 beside. On the Wanganui line tho working expenses absorbed 97 per cent, of the reyonuo On the Wellingtpu line the receipts 'mid expenditure both displayed a small increase, Taking all the lines there was an increase e£" 6,2 9£5 m tho number of passengers, and ' 73,421 m the number of live fctook carried. There were also increases m parcels, chaff, wool, and minerals, but decreasea m merchandise, graiD, end timbar. ' '