BUDGET POINTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 July 1920, Page 4

BUDGET POINTS.

TWO MILLIONS SURPLUS, j HUGE PUBLIC DEBT. A MILLION FOR HOUSES. LOANS TOTAL £24,800,001). £5,000,000 FOR SOLDIERS. The principal items in the Budget are:— Total revenue, £26,081,310; total expenditure, £23,781,924; surplus. £2,299,410. Total accumulated surplus at 31s.t March, 1920, £17,538,977. Public-works expenditure, £2,021,153. Redemption and renewals effected, £3,702,745. Customs revenue and excise, £5,185,-; 727. Land and income tax receipts, £7,927,068. Total expenditure on mental hospitals, £303,755. Influenza epidemic expenditure, £194,000. Posit and telegraph revenue, £2,090,757. Savings-'bank deposits, £29,758,448. Excess of deposits over withdrawals, £3,796,070. < Stamp revenue, £3,344,933. Land revenue, £1,452,352. 201,897 acres, costing £2,352,452 purchased during the year for settlement of discharged soldiers. 23,021 subdivisions of land, affecting 4,858,340 acres, made during eight years ended 31at March, 1920. Advances authorised to 12,415 discharged soldiers £12,010,204. Total area proclaimed under Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, to 31st March, 1920, 883,301 acres. Swamp land reclaimed, 3700 acres. Total' area of State forests, 5,021,280 acres. State Advanc-s Office loans, £3,169,480. - ' Advisory Air Board and a Committee of Defence established. BURDEN OF THE WAR. War expenditure to 31st March, 1920, £70,956,826. War gratuities paid to 31s't March, 1920, £4,917,638. Retrospective allowances paid to 31st March, 1920, £706,804. Financial assistance granted to soldiers to 31st March, 1920, £201,218. Repatriation expenditure to 31st March, 1920, £1,041,366: Coal production during the year decreased by 186,402 tons.

Coal production in 1910 compared with 1914 decreased by 500,000 tons.

Coal imported during IM9, 455.494 tons.

War pensions paid during 1919-20, £1,812,410.

Expenditure by Education Department out of Consolidated Fund appropriations, £2,031,825; under Education Acts, £130,000; and out of national endowment revenue, £78,988. Total payments made for supplies purchased on behalf of Imperial Government, £l3-3,091,2j10. ■ War loans raised to 31st March, 1920, £80,089,025. Cross public debt at' 31st March, 1920, £201,170,755. Sinking fuiids at 31st March, 1920 £7,257,504. . Net indebtedness per head, £lO5 3s, Net annual interest and sinking fund charges, £7,249,420. FUTURE PROPOSALS. War loan subscribers to be given option of converting debentures into inscribed stock.

Estimated i Customs revenue, £6,000 ■ 000. ■' I System of hospital subsidies ito be revised. Maternity homes to be increased. More nurses for country districts. Telephone facilities in country districts to'be extended. Trial aerial mail services to be inaugurated. Closer settlement of fertile lands to be promoted. £5,000,0,00 additional for advances for discharged soldiers. £2,500,000 additional for purchase of land for settlements (soldiers). Extension of operations of swamp-land drainage. Further provision for re-afforestation and planting of sand dunes. Legislation in regard to pure seeds and noxious weeds to be introduced. Establishment of agricultural college in North Island; boys' agricultural clubs; State farm in South Island. Wheat-growing to be encouraged. Wool profits to 31st March, 1919, £1,020,000 <to be distributed.

£BOO,OOO provided for acquisition and development of New Zealand interests in Nauru and Ocean Islands. £260,000 to be provided for naval defence. Assistance >to mining industry. HOUSING. £1,000,000 to be provided for liouse3. Supplies of building material to be regulated. Building operations to be restricted to facilitate erection of homes. Limit for each house to be increased, and local 'bodies to be enabled to purchase land as well as build houses. Measures limiting profits to be strengthened Additional assistance to pensioners. Military and miner pensioners to be allowed (to draw pensions notwithstanding temporary absence from the Dominion. Pensions Appeal Board to be established. Provision for speeding up completion of important railways. Light railways to be constructed. Tire-tax to be imposed and utilised for upkeep of main roads. Additional amount of £3,650,000 to be provided for public works and hydroelectric schemes. Further assistance to immigration, and Department to be reorganised. Increased expenditure to be provided for education services. Welfare of children to be further provided for by creation of bureau of infant welfare. Extended programme for school buildings. Development of trade with Samoa and islands ef ithe Pacific-