The Budget in Brief.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 28 November 1918, Page 3

The Budget in Brief.

Sir Joseph Ward delivered his Budget j in the House on Tuesday evening. Tho following summary gives the main points of the statement "which covers the period from Martili 31, 1917, to March 31, 1918: Revenue, £20,200,221, an increase or £1,838,674 over the previous year. Expenditure, £15,120,287, increase of £1,061,517. Surplus, which is added to the 1917 surplus of £6,474,864. Customs revenue, £3,364,308. Imports, value £20,983,612. Exports, value £31.298,270. Beer duty, £237.075. Land tax, £1,385,708; income-tax, £5,619,561; increase, £2,030.025. Post Office deposits, £17,106,529; withdrawals, £14,461.109; balance to depositors' credit, £29,196.390. __ Totalisator tax, £213.932; 191 i, £257,436. Amusement tax for five months £1.6,273. . nlo Land opened up for soldiers, 394,21w acres. Profit on State Fire Insurance Department, £36,525, le:H« income tax £13.924. Old age pensions, £643,177. War pensions in £1917-18, £515,441 ; estimate for 1318-lt), £1,500,000. Special increased grant this year for now school buildings, £300,000. . 1 Preliminary grant for hydro-electric schemes in Wellington and Auckland, £150,000. Investments in London increased to £17,869,912. [ Public Works expenditure reduced to £1,141,172 last year. £190,911 authorised for soldier settlers last year by way of financial aid. '17,117 war pensions granted to 31st March, 1918, representing an annual value of £1,122,052. Total payments to producer* for supplies purchased, on hehalf of the Imperial Government, £59,211,190. NEW P"' A LS. Authority to borrow additional sum of £200,000 for afforestation purposes. Local bodies to be empowered to develop water-power. Increased bonus and payments to Government employees. Authority to raise for war purpofeei= £10,000,000, in addition to the authority still unused for £13.000,000. Public works loan, £2,500,000. Loan for soldiers' land settlement. £1,000,000. Assistance to soldiers, educational, curative and vocational training, and grant up to £250 to set men up in buincss, £500,000.