NEW ZEALAND FINANCES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2645, 13 October 1923, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND FINANCES.

IMPROVEMENTS RET NO SHOWN.

A statement respecting - the financial position of the Dominion during .the past half-year, as compared with tlie first half of the financial year, 1022-23. was supplied to the Press yesterday.

The revenue shows a net increase of £51(1,020. The principal increases are: —Customs, £813,873: income fax £194,53(5. The decreases are:—-Post and Telegraphs, £135.055; stamps, £25,740; interest on public money?, and miscellaneous, £330,141. The last-named decrease i- mainly due to the fact that interest has not been recouped this year from Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Account, the money being required in the account for re-issu-es and advances.

'l'lie total expenditure for the fiv£ months is £405,400 less than for the same six months of 1022. Under the heading of permanent charges the interest and sinking fund is slightly increased l*v £15,021 but under “Special Acts," there is a reduction of £12,48,3. Under the annual appropriations the reductions in expenditure are fairly general in all departments, the principal decreases being—Railways, £283,858; Post and Telegraph £27.483, health, £45,540: industries and commerce (wheat, nominal), £05,(137.

The main increases are: —Pensions £22,825; printing office (nominal), £73,023; mental hospitals, £10,502: naval defence. £40,00.3: lands and survey £20,000; education, £00,347: defence £18,252. Taking the net increase in revenue and decrease in expenditure, the statement says the position is £021.525 to the good, as compared with the same six months of 1022.