THE BUDGET.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 100, 28 August 1915, Page 3

THE BUDGET.

SOME OF ITS POINTS. Cross surplus for 191 l-10. £I 19,0-17 ; net surplus £72,1-12. Up to March 31, 1915 the war cost Dominion, roughly, £2,750.000, including liabilities outstanding at that date. Provision has been made for all loans, amounting to £10,129,(505, falling due between July Ist, 191$ and March 31st, 1915. Kevenuo for 191 1-15 was £12,143,525; £4-1,8-15 lcs, s than the estimate. Kxpcndituro for 1914-15 was £12.379,803; £181,748 less than the estimate. Balance available for public works on March 31st, 1915, was £2,170,702 —in hand £695,762," loan money to receive £1.175.000. Gross public debt on March 31st, 1915. £100,059,000; net debt £9O. ■ Oil. 155. Loans amounting to £6.274,958 lull due duriug the current financial year. The Minister anticipates no difficulty in arranging for the renewal of these loans. Total shipments of meal on behali of the Imperial Government up to July 31st were 151,307 quarters beef, 1,296,995 carcases mutton, and 1.717.596 carcases lamb. Total payments to freezing companies and producers £3,022.341:. j Forty insulated steamers left the Dominion between October Ist, 1911, and March 31st, 1915, carrying the equivalent of 2,669,281 freight 1 earcases. Returns show that the wheat yield of the 1915 harvest amounted, approximately, to 0,250.000 bushels, insufficient to provide all requirements till harvest 1916. Option over 1,000,000 bushels of Canadian wheat has been obtained. What threatened to be a period of depression developed into one of increased activity, and there has been little difficulty in providing employment for applicants. During the year the gross land revenue amounted to £1,163,127. Four hundred and ninety-four settlers, occupying -93,547 acres, converted from leasehold to freehold, paying a sum of £174.412. , The area dealt with under the Land for Settlements Act was 50,211 acres. valued at £356.686. Receipts from land tax during tinyear amounted to £799,611, and from income tax £510.318. Revenue from Tost and Telegraph Department was £1,353.443, an increase on revenue of previous year of £95.906. Savings Bank deposits £ll,901.323; withdrawals £10.603,018; to credit of depositors £19,048,029; an increase of £1.916,015. Pensions paid : Old age £-100,851 ; widows, £31,017; military. £47,610; total, £510,081; an increase of £6O, • 000. Defence expenditure (apart ,4'rom war).' £199.137. A sum .of ,£159,137 had been re'ceived by the (.'ovornmenl from thy public'up to March 31st in actual cash towards tlie expenses of the war. Xo less than £80,400 wa. s subscribed by the public to the Governor's hospital ship. An. increase of £90,000 will take place in public school teachers' salaries this year. Estimated expenditure for, 1915-16, £12.653.212; estimated receipts, £ll,076.251: deficiency. £827,941. On assumption that war will last another year, expenditure on pensions i. 3 estimated at £4.000.000 per annum and on interest and sinking fund on loans (say £12,000,000) £700,000 pel annum.