8.—6

IX

Income-tax. The income-tax receipts for the financial year 1915-16 a'so considerably exceeded the estimate, and, compared with those of 1914-15, are as follow :— £ Receipts, 1915-16 .. .. .. ..1,392,119 Receipts, 1914-15 .. .. .. .. 540,318 An increase of .. .. .. £851,801 The excess of receipts over the estimate under this heading is due partly to the fact that the dislocation of shipping at the outbreak of the war did not cause the shrinkage in trade that was anticipated, and partly to the fact that high profits were realized by taxpayers dealing -with the primary products of the Dominion. Honourable members will be interested to know that the income-tax chargeable for the past year to farmers in respect of the profits derived from land amounted to £269,000, of which sum £240,000 had been paid by the 31st March last. MENTAL HOSPITALS. The growth of these institutions continues with the steadily increasingnumber of patients. Together with the policy of enlargement, a further step is to be made in classification by segregating the aged, who comprise a fair proportion of the admissions. The Government recognizes its duty to do all that it reasonably can to promote the welfare of the patients. PUBLIC HEALTH. The operations of this Department have been considerably extended during the year, notably in connection with the accommodation and treatment of sick and wounded soldiers returning from the front. Large convalescent hospitals bave been established at the thermal-springs resorts of Hanmer and Rotorua, and every assistance has been given by the Hospital Boards throughout the Dominion, with the result that a very large number of soldiers had been restored to health. During the year the Townley Maternity Hospital was taken over from the trustees and was added to the number of maternity hospitals under control of the Government. Much attention has also been given by the Department to epidemics of infantile paralysis and scarlet fever. The responsibilities of the Department are steadily increasing, as it is felt that the health of the community is one of its most important considerations. POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT. The Post and Telegraph Department's revenue shows a very material increase, which is largely due to the imposition of the halfpenny war-tax on all postal matter excepting newspapers, and to the increase in the telegraph rates. The revenue collected for the year amounted to £1,689,917. This exceeds that of the previous year by no less than £336,474. The increased charges were in operation for only six months of the year, and produced, approximately, a sum slightly below the amount which had been estimated. The Savings-bank deposits reached a total of £13,706,057, while the withdrawals amounted to £11,294,974. At the end of the year the total amount standing to the credit of depositors was no less than £22,166,365, an increase of £3,118,336. The money-order and postal-note business increased, the total issues for the year amounting to £4,252,843. The revenue from postages amounted to £801,938 ; from telegrams, £386,138 ; and from telephone exchanges, £287,547 ; the balance being made up of miscellaneous items.

ii—B. 6.