The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1894.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 98, 19 October 1894, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Oroua & Kiwitea Counties Gazette. Published Daily. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1894.

THE REVENUE. ♦ The comparative stagnation of commerce and private enterprise in the colony is amply proved by the revenue returns for the quarter ended 30tb September which are now before us. The customs revenue was £408,825 against £439,985 the previous quarter. The beer duty was £12,145 against £12,998. The railways produced £241,532 against £248,873. Another table, however, gives the customs revenue at £408,798 against £447,623 for the previous quarter, which puts a still worse aspect on the state of affairs. The expenditure during the quarter under the head of Government appropriation was £176, 1G8 and the annual appropriation £570,---795 Thera were £935,100 worth of. Treasury Bills outstanding at the end of the quarter These figures speak for tbemfielve3. The Government have apparently recognised the possible difficulties they may have prepared for themselves in the near future, and endeavoured to anticipate them, or to avert evil consequences 6O far as the Cabinet is concerned, by introducing in the Government Bank Bill an amendment of the Bank Note Issue Act of last year, to allow the Government to issue a proclamation making bank notes legal tender when any bank's assets exceed liabilities instead of when assets exceed liabilities by at least the sum of the paid up capital This is not very clear, but it shows the Cabinet are determined to make provision for the future, and to obviate anything like panic legislation in the event of the affairs of the colony going from bad to worse. We are, however, hopeful of the future, and although it in contrary to tho declared policy under which the Government were returned to power by the people, it is highly probable that the expenditure of loau money may give the colony time to recuperate. It is a poor remedy, but under existing circumstances it appears to be the best.