THE COLONY’S FINANCES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2071, 4 May 1907, Page 3

THE COLONY’S FINANCES.

A GOOD SURPLUS. Press Association. TIAIARU, last night. Tlio Hon. AV. llall-Joncs liad a cordial reception at tlio Theatre Royal to-night. His address dealt at soluo length with the fmaiico of tho year. The ordinary revenue accounts were shown as follows: —Revemto £8,399,0/5, sinking fund accretions £66,000 other receipts £13,881; expenditure —permanent charges £3,038,120, annual appropriations £4,736,806; excess of receipts over expenditure £704,030; balance from last year’s surplus (£788,795) £13,<95; which left an excess at 31 st March last of £717,825. Tho railway revenue last year showed ail increase

over tho previous year of £282,978. The passengers carried showed a large increase and the increase in wages to . railway employees sines 1895 was given as £375,000. Tho Minister in dealing with the Customs referred to the remission of £2,509,957 since 1895, postage rates and telegraphs were reduced by £27,500, and railway fares and freights £750,000. Tho expenditure on old age pensions last year was £313,526. Deal-

ing with land tho Minister said tho saving to tlio people by the Advances to Settlers Office through the fixing of a reasonable rate of interest ran into millions of pounds. The public works fund had received £2,410,378 and expended £2,050,978, and they had a balance of £415,800 to start tlio year with.