DOMINION FINANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1916, Page 8

DOMINION FINANCES.

A SATISFACTORY FORECAST. ' (From Ouv Own Correspondent.) Wellington, April 7. The returns of revenue'and expenditure for the financial year ended on March 3'l will not be available for eight £>-.• ten days yet. Tlie Minister for Finance will be in a position to give some estimated figures by that time, lint probably lie will prefer' to wait for the final report from the Treasury before be announces the results of the year's operations. He has indicated already that there is going to be a substantial surplus. The amount, it is understood, is likely to be in the neighborhood of £1,000,000. Whatever the surplus may be the Minister may be expected to explain that the Dominion's finances will require careful handling during the next twelve months. The cgeet of the war upon the revenue is becoming increasingly evident as the mouths pass, and the present surplus, produced largely by the new taxation imposed last year, may very easily be converted into .i deficit before Alareh .11 next. Then the Treasurer lias to take into his reckoning the after-war period, when the financial situation may be exceptionally difficult. "Tlie outlook for May is far from good.'' said the Prime Minister to-day, in referring to the shortage of shipping and 'the accumulations of wool, meat, dairy produce and flax in store in Xew Zealand. 'T am endeavoring to bring about an improvement, and am in almost daily communication with the Home Government and with the Australian authorities. But the difficulties o;' the situation cannot be disguised. Tonnage is wanted in all parts of the Empire. "The meat stores are in a less congested condition than they were last year, but that is because there is more accommodation. Some of the companies provided additional cool storage after the troubles of last year. There will be more meat in store at the end of this month than there was at the same time least year. May is going to he a particularly bad month. .Tune will be. a good month, and the eleven steamers due to lead during that month ought to relieve the situation materially.

"I am quite satisfied that all the meat in store will he got away before the new .season's meat comes in. My information on that point is clear. The statement applies only to cheese and butter. Then the Tonnage Committee has assured me. as I stated yesterday, that the wool will be got away within a reasonable time. That leaves the (lax to be provided for, and I am hopeful of being able to afford some relief to the exporters in that direction."