GROWING EXPENDITURE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2613, 9 November 1915, Page 6

GROWING EXPENDITURE

ECONOMIES NECESSARY

STATEMENT BY SIR JOSEPH , WARD A statement concerning the expenditure of the Dominion during the seven months of the financial year ended October 31 last was made to a Dominion reporter by the Finance Minister last night. ' "There is an increase of £274,342 in the expenditure for tho first seven 1 months of the financial year as compared f with the first seven months of last year. P Also under tho heading of "Treasury 3 Bills," whereas £437,480 worth of def bonturcs were outstanding oil October ! 31, 1914, th© amount on October 31, i 191.0, was £913,115. "The total revenue for the seven. ■ months ending October 31, 1915, amounts to £6,099,402, an increase of b £76,566 over the revenue for the first j seven months of last year. Thoro is a , considerable decrease in the Customs rel venue owing to tho war, but increases • are shown tinder the headings of Stamp , and Doath Duties, Post and Telegraph, > Land and Income Tax, and National En- . dowment, T&ioh more than compensate ■ for tho loss in the Customs. i "Tho total expenditure for the seven i months of this year amounts to > £7,161,564, as compared with £6,887,222 I' for the first seven months of last finanl cial year. The increase is thorcforo > Of that increase charges for i interest and sinking fund amount to ■ £143,000, and that increase is inevitable I owing to the increased loans negotiated i for war and other purposes. The expen- > diture on account of tho Railway De- • partment shows an increase of £55,000, ; Education of £75,000, Justice £21,000, 1 .Post and Telegraph £13,000. But a 1 comparison of the first seven months of 1 last year with the first seven months of ■ the preceding year shows that the increase in expenditure then was £529,467, so that tho later comparison is tho morn favourable. That is a hopeful sign, and satisfactory so far as it goes, but it is beyond all question that the expenditure requires to be still materially decreased in order to bring about what is necessary in the general interests of the country—at least an equalisation of the expenditure with the ordinary revenue of the Dominion. A comparison of last month with tho month of October, 1914, shows that notwithstanding air increase of- £44,000 for interest and sinking fund charges, tho expenditure for October, 1915, was £SOOO less than for October, 1914 — £1,223,145 as against £1,231,260.- That is going in the right direction. "I think that on tho whole the returns show that- things are satisfactory. Although we are in war times, v,-e are gradually improving the position, and from my knowledge of what is taking place in the public Departments I can say that tliore is a strong desire on the part of the officers to 'do all they can in reason to prevent any increase in expenditure and to keep down in every direction possible any unnecessary expenditure that can properly bo avoided." Expenditure Figures. Following is a statement showing the expenditure for seven month's ended October 81, 1915, compare;! with the corresponding period for 1914:— 7 months 7 months ended ended Oct. 31, Oct. 31, Inc. Dec. Permanent 1915. 1914. Charges. £ £ £ £ Civil List 11,060 11,260 — 203 Interest and Sinking Fund- 2,190,392 2,047,252 143,140 Under Special Acts 750,539 738,522 12,017 2,951,991 2,797,037 155,157 203 Annual Appropriations: Olass— Legislative ... 2/0,532 22.162 — 1,530 Finance - 45,Q84 33,817 11,267 Post and Telegraph 534,109 521,081 13,028 Railways 1,658,511 1,602,932 55,579' Public Buildings 50,714 49,406 1,308 Native 13,883 13,385 498 Justice ... 230,843 209,349 21,494 Mines 14,810 16,889 - 2,079 Internal Affairs 225,178 240,018 - 14,840 Defence 255.133 282,603 - 27,470 Customs 82.006 81.243 763 I Labour ' 18,139 15,364 2,775 Lands and Survey 136,178 138.246 - 2.068 Agriculture ... 103,023 ',19,977 — 16,949 Education .... 816,490 740,817 75,673 Services not provided for 4,835 2,896 1,939 4,209,573 4,090,185 184,324 64,936 339,481 65,139 65,139 Totals 7,161,564 6,887,222 274,342 Jialance Apr.l 149,047 426,906 Receipts 6,099,402 6,022,836 6,248,449 6,449,742 Expenditure ... 7,161,564 6,887,222 Bal. Oct. 31 Dr. 913,115 437,480 ' As follows:— Cash 82.093 dr. 10,587 Advances 804,792 953,107 886,885 942,520 Less Treasury Bills 1;800,000 1,380,000 Bal.Oot-.3lDr. 913,115 • 437,480 Public Works Fund. Statement 6ho\ving the expenditure under appropriations for the seven months ended October 31, 1915, compared vritli tho corresponding period for 1914:— 7 months 7 months ended ended Oet. 31, Oct. 31, Inc. Dec. 1915. 1914. £ £ £ £ Class— / Public Works Departmental 66,130 46,062 20,068 Railways ... 564,882 383,753 181,129 Public Buildings 207,193 221,690 — 14,497 Lighthouses, Harbour. Works, etc. 7,653 8,771 — 1,118 Tourist and Health Hesorts 2,156 4,195 — 2,039 Immigration . Cr. 798 7,779 — 8,577 Roads, Bridges, etc 240,660 214,863 25,797 Development of Mining 2,021 1,241 780 Telegraph Extension 96,996 1ij.944 — 55,943 Contingent Defence ' 25,109 9,892 15,217 Lands Improvement 4,199 5,455 — 1256 1 Unauthorised — 231 — '231 242,991 86,666 86,666 Totals 1,216,201 1,059,876 156,325