REVENUE RETURNS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9538, 9 July 1909, Page 6

REVENUE RETURNS.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OP FINANCE. The finance of June 30th, so far as* it relates to the Dominion's revenue, was the subject of a statement to a "New Zealand Times" representative by the Hon. J. A. Miller, who, during the Prime Minister's absence, is]Acting-Minis-ter of Finance. ."There is an increased revenue of £34,678 compared with corresponding quarter of 1908," fc said the Minister. "The total increases are £120,896, but there are decreases amounting in all to £86,218, which reduce the net increase, these being in Customs revenue, which went back by £38,035 owing to the concessions granted in the revision of the tariff, territorial revenue £20,368 —due to the setting apart of the revenue from nine million acres of Crown land as a national endowment—and stamps £22,598. The latter item is extremely liable to fluctuation, included under (hat heading being estate duties. Railway receipts increased by £92,338, a sign that produce and passengers are being moved around in increasing proportions. We Hre holding our own, and as this is one of the two worst quarters in the* year we may expect the next returns to be quite up to anticipations."

Dealing with the revenue for the year ended June 30th, and contrasting it with the corresponding period of 1908, Mr Millar said that the Customs remi/ssions and the transfer of the national endowment lead to a separate account were responsible for the reductions under these heads, and notwithstanding this, the total receipes had gone back by £26,9"5. "When we take into acount the information received from the Australian States regarding their finance, aiid find that only one States escaped a very large decrease, it indicates that we have come out of the financial stringency more satisfactorily than they have. The country itself cannot be going back when railway evenue rises by £183,000 for the twelve months. This period, of course, includes the receipts from the Wellington and Manawatu railway for several months, but the railway revenue apart from that shows a substantial increase." The following indicates in detail the revenue for the year ended 30th, 1909:—Customs, £2,763,163; stamps, including Post and Telegraph cash receipts, £1,568,730; land and income tax, £930.008; beer duty, 115,790: railways, £3,010,845; registration and other fees, £112,318; marine, £44,456; miscellaneous, £288,064; territorial,£2o2,4B9; total, £9,035,863. The following shows the revenue for the three months ended June 30th, 1909, compared with three months ended June 30th, 1908: — Three months ended June 30th, 190VJ Custorrs, £56,612; stamps, including Post and Telegraph cash receipts,

£368,712; land and income, £10,667; beer duty, £26,050; railways, £752,631; registration and other fees, £21,377; marine, £10,5L'3; miscellaneous, £48,283; territorial, £23,724; total, £1,826,759.jThree months ended June 30th, 1908—Customs, £602,697; stamps, including Post and Telegraph cash receipts, £391,310; landand income tax, £5,604; beer duty, £26,474: railways, £650,293; registration and other fees, £26,120; marine, £9,882; miscellaneous, £24,429; territorial, £44,110; total, £1,791,919. Increases —Land and income tax, £4,063; railways, £92,338; marine, £641; miscellaneous, £23,854; total, £120,896. Decreases —Customs.£3B,oßs; stamps,£22,s9B; beer duty, £424; registration and other fees, £4,743; territorial, £20,1368; total, £86,218. Net increase, £34,678.