DOMINION’S FINANCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2469, 19 August 1922, Page 4

DOMINION’S FINANCE.

SOM E INTEREST! NG FIG l' RKS

The expenditure on the Dominion's permanent charges from 1918-11 to 1912-22 increased by £8,088,072. The Dominion last year paid £4,657,766 in interest and sinking fund on war loans.

War pensions paid last war totalled £1,722,596.

The expenditure on public works last year amounted to £5,401,407, or £2,320,210 more than in the preceding year.

Loans amounting to -£7.70-1,01)0 matured last year, and were renewed a! rates varying front 4* to (i per cent. The number of gallons of beer brewed in New Zealand during last year was 13,669,777, a decrease of L. 256,849 gallons on the quantity in the previous financial war.

Imports last year were valued at £36,123,256. compared with £07,463,209 in the preceding 12 months. The value of exports from the Dominion decreased by nearly £4,500.000 last year compared with the year 192021. The receipts of the Land and Income Tax Department for the past, year amounted to £7,640,803 (land tax £1,637,816, income tax • £6,002,98/) which was a decrease of £2,297,121 on the amount in the preceding year. Land tax collected last year was £51,163 less than in 1920-21. due principally to the enlarged exemption in respect of mortgaged lands. Stamp duties last year amounted to £3,444,504, compared with £3,745,902 for the previous year. Tlio totalisator tax in 1921-22 totalled £515,248, while in the previous year it was £497,961. The amusement tax in 1921-22 yielded £103,815, an increase of 023,712 on the previous year’s collections. Revenue collected by the Post and Telegraph Department last year amounted to £2,748,481, the expenditure bong £2,448,688. The salary expenditure in the Post and Telegraph Department in 1914-15 absorbed 55 per cent, of the total revenue, while in 1921-22 it accounted for 57 per cent. Deposits in the Post Office Savings Bank for the year ended on March 31 last totalled '£29,125,907 and withdrawals £30,236,231. The amount standing to the credit of depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank on March 31, 1922, was £42,241.797. compared with £19,048.029 at the end of 1914. During the past year 92.59 new subscribers have been added to the telephone exchange system in the Dominion. At March 31 6132 persons were awaiting telephone exchange connections in New Zealand. On April 1, 1921, the total number of employees of the Post and Telegraph Department was 9094. which number had been reduced to 8679 by April l last. The total value of agricultural products exported last year was £39,236.528, or 89 per cent, of the total value of all exports, namely, £43,791,883. Cattle in the Dominion increased by 150,000 during the past year. Commercial orchards in New Zealand cover about 30,000 acres. There are 8426 persons keeping Jjees in the Dominion, with a total of 85,8(11 hives. Up to March 20 last 20,351 relumed soldiers have been placed in employ mouthy the Repatriation Depart men I. The censor of cinematographs examined 2432 films, containing 5.672.72017. last year, 42 films being rejected, while excisions were made in 203. The sum of £11,839 was spoilt on Government advertising last year, com pared with £23,767 in the preceding 12 months. During last year the expenditure on education services from Government sources was £3,520.000. as compare I with £1,420,000 in 1913-14. Annual subsidies to hoards in 1921-22 amounted to £171,711. Defence expenditure last year amounted to £415.451. and the estimat - ed expenditure for the current year is £317,616. The grand total o! actual payments made to war pensioners I rum 191.> to March 31, 1922, was £7.335,011. The expenditure on the I’olieo Department last year was £411.056. an increase of £12,078 over the amount for the preceding year, partly caused hv an increase o! 50 men in the strength of the force. The receipts in the Department ot Tourist and Health Resorts last year amounted to £51,12/ as against £51,038 for the previous year. On March 31 last Hie gloss public debt amounted to £219,05-1,385. Of the public debt of New Zealand £110,847,786 (a little more than half) is held in the Dominion. The gross debt of New Zealand amounts to £175 9s lOd per head of the European population. Ten years ago only 18.78 per cent, of the' public debt was held in New Zealand, whereas now 50.6 is held in the Dominion. Loans amounting to £8.902,356 are falling-due during the current year, but the Prime Minister lias made arrangements for redemption or renewal without materially increasing the annual charge for interest. The Government received £112,500 m dividends from the Bank of New Zealand last year. Economies effected in Government departments last year are estimated at £5,190,419-