DOMINION NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 April 1919, Page 8

DOMINION NEWS.

RECORD YEAR FOR CUSTOMS DUTIES. Wellington, last Night. The Minister of Customs states that tlx? customs duty collected in March amounted to £34.'i,")53, and excise beer duty £20,5114. The customs duty for the financial year ending March 31 was £3,831,0-18, and the excise beer duty £273,451, making a total of £4,104,400, the largest total ever collected. THE COAL QUESTION. Wellington, Last Night. In the course of a statement to a reporter this afternoon, Hon. W. D. >S-Mat-Donald, president, of the Board of Trade, said he hoped to have a full report of the Board of Trade on the coal question in the course of a week or two. 'The board has made an interim report in the first week of tiheir inquiry, and from the general character of that it noun! bp gathered there could be very UM.IC reduction in price unless improvements were made in shipping;, screening, and distribution. Tie wanted a full report. however, and this would shortly be available, and would, lie hoped, be a standard work on the coal question. UNIFORMITY IN RE-CLASSIFICA-TION. Wellington, Last Night. Cabinet has referred to certain officers of the publifc service the question of maintaining uniformity in the re-classi-fication which is now being made by the three branches of service—the railways, post and telegraph department, and the general service, which is under the commissioner. The officers have been asked to report to Cabinet on the matter.