BUOYANT REVENUE

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 109, 1 February 1935, Page 12

BUOYANT REVENUE

Customs Returns Rise

WELLINGTON FIGURES Ten Months Conipalred The Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington for January again reflects the steady increase in imports. For sixteen months now the net revenue in every case has exceeded the figures for the corresponding month of the previous year. Far the ten mouths of the current financial year, net Customs revenue shows an increase of nearly £390,000 compared with the same period of th’e 1983-34 year. For January there is a substantial increase of £26,717 compared -with January, 1934., The net. Customs revenue collected at Wellington last month totalled £E2I,424, compared with £194,707 in January, 1934, an increase of £26,717. For the ten months of the current financial year the net Customs revenue is £2,050.434, compared with £1,660,924 for the ten, months of the 1933-34 year, an increase of £389,510.

A detailed comparison for each of thq ten months is given in the following table: —

Motor Spirit and Tires. The duty collected on motor-spirit last month totalled £37,377 at 6d. a. gallon and £24,918 at 4d. .a gallon, a total of £62.295, compared with £43,550 at Gd. a gallon and £29.033 at 4d. a gallon, a total of £72.583 for January, 1934, a decrease of £10,288. The amounts collected at 4d. a gallon are already included in the net Customs revenue given above, being paid into the Consolidated Fund, as distinct from those at Gd. a gallon which go to the Main Highways Fund. The petrol figures for the ten months are £577,571 and £594,431 respectively, a decrease of £16,860. Collections of tire tax last month totalled £2337 compared with £1827 for January, 1933, an increase of £5lO. For the ten months there Is an incredse of £5116, the figures -being £20.060 and £14,944 resectively. Sales Tax and Beer Duty. Collections of sales tax in January totalled £71,797, compared with £59,097 in January, 1934, an increase of £12,700. In December last year the figure.was £74,256, in November £73,500, and in October £70,214. The total for the ten months is £638,550. This tax came into force on February 10, 1933, and the total so far collected at Wellington is £1,256,722. Beer excise collections for January totalled £4594. compared with £5213 for January, 1034, a decrease of £6lO. For the period there is an increase of £1935. the figures being £47,406 and £45.471 respectively. IN OTHER CENTRES By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch. —Customs revenue collected in Christchurch in January was £Bl2O Jess than in January, 1934. Comparative figures for the month are:. Customs, January, 1935, £73,753 (January. 1934. £81,873); beer duty, £6890 £7133) ; tire duty, £776 (£BSS) ; petrol tax, £20,853 (£23,471) ; sales tax, £28,220 (£26,670).

Dunedin.—Following are the Customs returns for the month of January, a comparison being given with the figures for January of last year :—Customs duty,' 1935, £57,480/11/8 (1934. £61,994 13/1) ; beer excise duty, £20,439/14/10 (£27,086/1/1) ; sales tax, £25,375/5/5 (£23.952/7/3) ; tire tax, £579/19/(£778). The marked fall in the returns from beer excise duty is explained by the fact that in January of last year there were five Mondays, against four this year, the revenue being paid on the first day of the week.

Auckland.—A decrease of £11,248 is shown iu tlie - Customs duties collected at Auckland in January, compared with the corresponding month in 1934. Receipts were £223.687. as against £234,935 in January/ 1934. Compared with December, last month’s figures show a decrease of £15,810. An increase of £216,787 is shown, however, when the Customs receipts for the first ten months of tlie financial .years are compared. In the current financial year to date £2,173.470 has been collected, the amount in the corresponding period of the year 1933-34 being £1,956,683. In the combined receipt of petrol duty and tire tax there was an increase of £2453. Last month tlie yield was £53.655, whereas in January, 1934, it amounted to £53.205. Revenue from sales tax last month amounted to £61.214. an increase of £5934 over January. 1934. During the past ten months the tax lias yielded £542.265, compared with £466,623 in the corresponding period of the financial year 1933-34.

1934-35 £ 1933-34 £ April ... 182 T’G 136,913 May .... 196,05(5 157,551 .Tune .... 154,052 148,706 Julv ,211.351 152,24S August .... 220440 182,869 September .. .... 16S.978 144,557 October .... .... 241.527 190,166 November .... 245,477 186,245 December 209.003 166,962 January .... .... 221,424 194,107 Totals ... 2,050,434 1,660,924