THE NATIONAL LEDGER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 418, 29 January 1909, Page 5

THE NATIONAL LEDGER.

» ' RETURNS FOR DECEMBER QUARTER. . ' ' A SLIGHT DtPROVEMENT. ' A,remarkable feature of the financial returns for the quarter that ended on Septom. ber.3o'last was tho failure of the revenue, for the Jrst time in many years, to outweigh the expenditure. *The revenue amounted to £2,038,521 and..ttie expenditure to £2,065,239. The returns for the quarter which ended on December 31 last appeared in last night's Gazette, and are mucn better in appearance The quarter opened with a balance of £396,184. Revenue amounted to £2,591,388, and expenditure to £2,449,831; so' that the quarter ended with a balance of £587,741. The following table will show the position at a glance:-— ,' - £ , t Initial balance ... ■ ... -... 396,184 Revenue ' 2,591,388 Total '2,987,572 Expenditure 2,449,831 Final balance ..'. - .... ... 537,741 In tho December quarter of 1907 the rerenu™ was £2,480,798, and tho expenditure £2,352,777, and tho quarter ended, after £100,000 had been transferred to the Publio Works Fund, with a balnnoo of £758,366. 'i'ha following arc- details of revenue, tfve'l9o7 figures:— 1 - 1908." ' 1907. -.' £ '£ •- Customs ... ... 707,664 ... 729,767 Stamps ' .;. ... 326,052 ... 328,227 Postal 67,811 ... ■ 62,583 Land tax 557,329 ... 494,593 Income tas ' 3,795 ... 3,752 Beer duty ' 34,872 ... 33,221 Railways .'„ ... 774,962 „. 694,441Registration ' ... 24,530 ... 20,160 Marino ■ ... ... "11,174 ... 10,199 Miscellaneous ... 49,641" ... 41,268 Territorial revenue.... 39,558 ... 69,586 . .Totals ...... ... 2,591,388 . 2,480,798 1 The expenditure was made up of permanent appropriations, £1,110,821, and annual 1 appropriations £1,339,510. Tho chief items of the permanent appropriations aro: Interest £873,590, expenditure under special Acts £96,748, and old age pensions £83,866. The iuciease 'under permanent appropriations as ' only about £4000. f'.:r-.-. "Tlie- annual' appropriations £l ; - :;;K'V:" : 339,^o/aß.;;against;£l,246,47o;ih;the.Decem-: :iC.",- ; b'er/q'uarter of 1907/ There has therefore-been, :■ ■'-~' :"a.-slackening.ofc.tho:""-rate':'of increase hi'.'the :;■ '■/■'■■ deparjim'ent'alr'expe'nditure.:'although' it is still : ' - -: on.;: the '■•rise-.''.;'.-Decreases'.: (all. small fines) ap:X;:/ .',p^ar- : >iri/ respect J-'tp folio wing ■'.•popart' :; ■;:: mehts,:;;,; iL.egislatjve, -;:Q finance ,■, .:■/■ postal; v '-.-;■.? :: roays|.;.v:v'pnntinß', : !-.-"---internjilf.'.; affairs, ..mar- '.■':■ ; -" ; lands';;.;;'./and ".-.' ; suryoy,^ ; ■ : ;'. ;andv,! ; ; mental : , hospitals.;, iTho' / ohief .:'in-' .:. V. o'reases were:: Industries:' and "".commerce/ v .'■' : :-. £12,794: to " £14,634]- :/working" railways, : •'• £480,920:-tb:£so4,sß6;iiativß, 1 £5104 t6'£lo,V-- : --;\ 106 ;>pblice; ; £3B,B64-; t0V£50,455;. defence,' .":■■;•;.■::■' : £39.,728.-ttf,£53,802: /agriculture, £31,889 "to , "-: .;■:',• ■>'£4.2,p42fandV.educatipn,-"ieip3,932. to "£217,531'.' ■;:■':.■■;■ •.The? expenditure under the' : Piiblic.Works : ■.-.:: :■' v-Furiduncreased fr0m;£352,512 to £310,504...