“REFORM FINANCE”

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8339, 28 January 1913, Page 8

“REFORM FINANCE”

MINISTER’S REPLY TO CRITICISM. Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, January 27. In the “New Zealand Times” of January 25th there appeared an article entitled “Reform Finance,” dealing with the receipts and expenditure of the Consolidated Fund for the quarters ended December 31st, 1912 and 1911 respectively. Referring to the revenue of the Post and Telegraph Department the article stated thar tho revenue of that Department was less than, and tho expenditure more than, that of tho corresponding quarter of 1911. On this statement being brought under tho notice of the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, Postmaster-General, last even.ag, tho Minister said it was true that the revenue of his department ■ showed a falling-off for the last quarter of 1912, but this was accounted for by the fact that the Telephone Exchange subscriptions showed a drop of nearly idl.UUt), dud to the alteration in the method of collecting them. Whereas last year subscriptions were collected half-yearly in advance, now they were collected quarterly. As a matter of fact, there had been no falling-off in revenue except that indicated. All other items showed a considerable increase on the corresponding quarter of tho preceding year»