STATE'S FINANCE.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16422, 16 January 1919, Page 7

STATE'S FINANCE.

ministerial REVIEW,

SATISFACTORY REVENUE. The Hon. Arthur Myers, Acting-Min-ister of Finance, has furnished the regular monthly returns showing the revenue and expenditure for the nine months ended December 31st, 1913, a s compared with the similar poriod of 1917; also revenue for the months of December, 1918 and 1917, and tho twelve months ended December 31st 1918, as compared with the similar | period onding December 31st, 1917. j Commenting on the figures, Mr j Myers stated that the revenue for the i nine months ended December 31st I showed an increase of £1,551,271 over j the corresponding nine months of the previous year. "It will be noticed," said the Minister, "that practically all sources of revenue show an increase. A largo amount of increase is shown under the I heading of Miscellaneous, and this is ! attributable, to a very large extent to the interest received on investments in England. "The return of expenditure for tno nine months ended December last shows an increase of £2,937,830 over the corresponding period of tho previous year, so that it will be soen that the increased expenditure exceeds tho increased revenue for the period. "The increased expenditure is chiefly accounted for by the additional charges for interest and sinking fund pensions, etc. ' "In view of the fact that the remaining three months of the year are good revenue-producing months, and also in view of the fact that income tax is payable in February, I think it is safe to anticipate that the ordinary revenue account at the end of the year will show a satisfactory balance. "The statements attached regarding the Public "Works Fundi show that there lias been a decrease in the expenditure in the nine months as compared with the corresponding nine months of the previous year amounting to £16,689. REVENUE. Statement of the revenue for the nine months ended December 31st 1918, compared with the revenue for 1917 nme mont * ls en ded December 31st, Nine Nine months months ended ended 31st Dec., 31sfc Dec., 1918. 1917. _ £ £ Customs .. .. 2,695,986 2,424,913 Stamp and Death Duties 1,469,442 1,250 157 Postal and Telegraph .. 1,480,600 1,320,839 Land Tax .. .. 1,408,330 1,114,057 Income T»x .. .. 395,077 312 376 Beer Duty .. .. 191,639 163,093 Railways .. .. 3,339,176 3,176,39(5 Registration and other fees • .. .. 68,557 63,232

Marino .. .. 24,492 26,356 Miscellaneous .. 753,717 470,808 Territorial .. .. 112,960 115,678 National Endowment Revenue .. 108,824 100,433 Other receipts .. 40,924 10,111 12,099,774 10,548,503 Increase .. .. 1,551,271 £ Total revenue for the month of December, 1918 .. .. 8,005,682 Total revenue for the month of December, 1917 .. .. 2,686,855 Indeaso .. .. .. 818,827 Statement of the revenue for the year ended December 31st, 1918, compared with the year ended December 31st, 1917:— Year Year ended ended 31at Dec., 31st Dec., 1918. 1917. r& £ Customs .. .. 3,635,381 3,350,825 Stamp and Death Duties' 2,111,299 1,693,716 Postal and Telogtaph ... 2,006,017 1,834,819 Land Tax ... 1,679,981 1,173,280 Income Tax: .. .. 5,70i5,262 4,491,813 Beer Duty .. ... 265,671 216,443 Railways .. .. 4,831,009 4,534,148 Registration and other Fees .. .. 106,574 99,356 Marine .. .. 36,189 38,472 Miscellaneous .. 1,001,346 702,860 Territorial .. ' 202,925 206,788 National Endowment Revenue .. .. 108,824 100,493 Other receipts 70,015 40,058 Total .. .. 21,757,493 18,531,571 Increase for the year, 1918 .. 3,225,922 EXPENDITURE. Statement showing the expenditure for the nine months ended December 31st, 1918, compared with that for corresponding period in 1917":— Nine Nine months months i ended ended 31st Dec., 31st Dec., 1918. 1917.

£ £ Permanent Charges: Civil List .. .. 19,074 18,828 Interest and Sinking Fund .. .. 5,164,015 2,965,093 Under Special Aots .. 1,817,441 1,380,549 7,000,530 4,364,469 Annual Appropriations: Legislative .. •• 23,114 32,583 Finance Departments .. 103,928 79,603 Post and Telegraph. .. 906,160 866,507 Working 1 Railways .. 2,318,751 2,144,516 Public Bnildingß, etio. .. 71,052 66,799 Native Department .. 18,609 17,390 Justice Department .. 332,227 315,963 Mines . Department .. 28,721 18,969 Internal' Affairs .. 168,695 173,660 I Mental Hospitals and Public Health .. 193,384 172,375 Tourist Department 34,316 30,141 Defence Department .. 266,622 294,520 Customs and Moaine .. 118,632 110,750 . Department of Labour 22,913 22,181 Lands and Survey .. 134,550 112,907 Valuation and Electoral 38,130 31,480 Agriculture, etc. .. 170,469 336,748 Education .. . * 1,184,519 1,134,070 Services, not provided for 35,849 2,707 6,165,641. 5,963,872 Totals .. .. 13,166,171 10,328,341 Increase during nine months ended 31st December, 1918 .. £2,837,830 PUBLIC WORKS FTJNI>. Statement showing the position of the ,'ublic Works Fund from April Ist, 1918, to December 31st, 1918: — Balance on Ist April, 1918 295,539 Receipts .. 737,100 1,032,639 Expenditure >« -».i 706,052 Balance 31st Deo., 1918 326,587