8.—6

The estimate for the year 1916-17 was £3,300,000. This would have been a good average revenue for any year from 1910 onwards, but owing to the great appreciation of values of goods subject to ad valorem duties, and to the successful import trade generally, the revenue realized was £3,849,675, showing an excess over estimate of £549,675. This is the greatest Customs revenue ever collected, and if it is added to the excise beer revenue of £187,953 it brings the total to over £4,000,000 for the first time in the history of the Dominion. Beer Duty. The beer duty collected during the year was £187,953, as against £.157,892, or £30,061 more than was collected for the previous year; that increase is about £7,000 less than I expected to obtain, which is due to anti-shouting regulations, increasing shortage of adult male population through enlistment, and reduction in the gravity of the beers brewed. The numbex' of gallons of beer brewed during the calendar year 1916 was 11,247,725, as against 11,149,176 gallons the previous year, yielding an average duty per gallon of 4-05 d. in 1916 and 3 - 39 d. in 1915. The increase in the rate of duty dated from the Ist December, 1915. ADDITIONAL CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DUTIES. The House will be asked to agree to an increase in the Customs and excise duties on tea, beer, spirits, champagne, cigars, cigarettes, silks, satins, velvets, plushes, and imitation silks. The additional revenue which in ordinary times would be realized by the proposed increase is estimated at £317,000, but owing to the dislocation of shipping and the consequent uncertainty attending all importations at the present time it would be unsafe for me to rely upon obtaining more than £275,000 from this source. Details of the amount of additional duty to be levied on each class of article will accompany the resolutions which will be submitted presently for consideration of members. ESTIMATES OF REVENUE FOR 1917-18. I now proceed to give an estimate of revenue for the year 1917-18 under the main heads of each of the important Departments :— £ Customs .. .. .. .. .. 2,930,000 Railways .. .. .. .. .. 4,200,000 Stamp and death duties . . .. .. .. 1,400,000 Postal and telegraph .. .. .. ..1,725,000 Land and income tax .. .. . . . . 5,850,000 Beer duty .. .. .. .. .. 225,000 Registration and other fees .. .. .. 100,000 Amusement-tax.. .. .. .. .. 80,000 Marine .. .. .. .. .. 44,000 Miscellaneous .. .. .. .. .. 450,000 Territorial revenue .. .. .. .. 175,000 Endowment revenue .. .. .. .. 93,800 Other receipts .. .. .. .. .. 10,000 £17,282,800 The foregoing estimate is £1,084,747 below the receipts of last year, and this estimate is dependent upon the House giving authority to make the important alterations in regard to taxation to which I have referred.

XXVI