SOME FACTS ABOUT QUEENSLAND.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2561, 29 March 1923, Page 4

SOME FACTS ABOUT QUEENSLAND.

TAKEN WHOLLY FROM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS. ' The question of Queensland’s finances and general administration under a Labour Government has been forced' upon the attention of New Zealand people by the visit of Mr. J. S. Collings, State Organiser of the Queensland Labour party. Why this Organiser came over to convince the people of New Zealand seeing there are so many people in Queensland, who are not convinced, that his message is “the truth about Queensland” we fail to understand. We have no desire to reflect on the people of Queensland or its Government —they have their own problems and will work them out in their own way. As a study of the question raised we have read the reports of the Commonwealth Statistician and the Queensland Auditor General. It is from these independent and authoritative documents that is taken the facts and figures here presented. STATE FINANCE—COMPARISON In 1921 taxation per head of population was £4 17s lid, and in Victoria £2 10s 4d. The public debt Queensland £lO4 8s Id Victoria £63 7s 2d. Interest charges per head £3 18s sd. Victoria £2 10s sd. Queensland’s population was 757,634 and Victoria 1,531,529. Expenditure from loan fund in Queensland was in 1912-16 (five years), £13,662,567. From 1917-21 (five years) £15,881,805. For years 1919-21 (three years) it was £11,785,524. The increased interest charge of 1921 over 1911 was £l, 259,930. QUEENSLAND RAILWAYS AND COMPARISON. Deficit 1920-21 £1,739,475 Deficit 1919-20 £1,229,579 1921 Revenue increase over 1920 £319,202 Expenditure increase over 1920 £725,100 Deficits: — 1918 £1,028,008 1919 £1,421,328 1920 £1,229,579 1921 £1,739,475

Increased earnings (£319,262) due mainly to the increase in fares and freights from January 1920. For ten years 1911-21, earnings increased 93.35 per cent.; expenditure increased 222.98 per cent. Five years 1916-21 earnings increased 40.96 per cent.; expenditure increased 83.91 per cent. Return on capital invested for 1921 amounted to 9/9 per cent, to meet interest charge of £4 3s 2d per cent. Previous year’s returns show: — 1920 ..' £l/7/11 1919 13/9 1918 £l/9/7 1917 £2/1/5 1916 £2/11/0 Expenditure from loan funds, 1917-21 (five years) £8,152,539. Loss after payment working expenses, interest and other charges: VICTORIA. 1917 £207,518 1918 £9,380 1919 £5,184 1920 £59,821 1921 £441,125 £723,028 Percentage 1921, 0.74. QUEENSLAND. 1917 £663,020 1918 £945,372 1919 £1,323,252 1920 £1,087,601 1921 £1,581,060 £5,599,605 Percentage 1921, 3.82. STATE TRADING SERVICES. State Trawler (“Bar-Ea-MnI”). Excess disbursement over credit : 1919 £2,090 1920 £9,103 1921 £2,599 Trawler out of commission since 10/12/1920. Steamer “Douglas Mawson:” — Cost and Repairs £19,645 Receipts:— '1919-20 £627/16/7 1920-21 £14,997/15/2 £15,625/11/9 Expenditure:— 1920 £3,467/13/2 1921 £22,814/2/8 £26,281/15/10 Loss on working to 30th June, 1921 £10,656/4/1. Vessel went out of commission during September 1921. State Smelter Works : —Profit and Loss account for period ending June 30th, 1921: Balance (loss) £48,075. Net loss on year 1921, £49,450 Previous year’s profit, £1,375 £48,075 Losses mainly due to: (a) depreciation metal prices £39,281 (b) shut down of smelters for 6 months £5,123 £44,404 State Arsenic Mine Jibbenbon.—Loss previous years: £2,452 Loss current year (1921) 4,797 Loss incurred during year 1921 chiefly due to fact that Arsenic ordered prior to 31st., December, 1920 • was sold at £23 a ton and £25 per ton whilst cost of production aver- , aged £49 1/8 per ton. Baralabon Coal Mine: — Total expenditure .... £18,937 Revenue . .. £5,575 All expenditure has been debited to loan fund and no interest has so far been charged thereon. Mine considered productive from January, 1921: 8,294 tons mined, cost production 17/10 per ton, disposed

of, mostly to Railway Department, at 14/9 per ton. Styx River Coal Mine: — Total expenditure £14,305 Total collections £6,606 Dr £7,699 Expenditure has been charged to loan fund but interest has not been debited thereon. State Batteries: — Total expenditure ... £29,951 No return at date, June 1921. It is our intention to make any comments, we leave these official statements to the reader. (Contributed by the N.Z, Welfare League.)