SYDNEY FINANCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1230, 3 May 1864, Page 3

SYDNEY FINANCE.

The Sydney Morning Herald of the 13th April gives the following resume of the financial statement for the quarter ended March, 1864:—

In our remarks respecting the proposed issue of Treasury Bills by the Government in Tuesday's issue, we stated that the only alteration in the conditions was that the interest was made payable in London as well as Sydney ; we find, however, that the principal is also payable in London or Sydney at the option of the holder by giving notice on or before the Ist of July, 1867, of the place at which the bills are to be presented for payment of the principal. These alterations in the conditions will probably cause these bills to be in some demand for remittance to England. A comparative statement of the Consolidated Revenue of the colony of New South Wales and of the special funds paid into the Treasury at Sydney during the quarters ended 31st March, 1863 and 1864 respectively, showing the increase or decrease under each head thereof, is published in to-day's Gazette. From this statement it appears that the total revenue proper,for the first quarter of the year 1864 amounts to 290,305/. 6«. 5d., against 337,038/. lis. for the corresponding quarter of the year 1863. The decrease on the quarter is, therefore, 46,733/. 7#. 7d., or nearly 14 per cent. The principal heads of revenue which show a decrease are the Customs 24,2741. Duty on spirits distilled in the colony, 7246/. Gold, 5664/. Land, 27,302'. Electric telegraph receipts, 1552/. There is also a small decrease in the revenue derived from the Mint receipts of 83/. Licenses, 276/. Fines and forfeitures, 151/.; and rates under Chinese Act, 40/. The heads of revenue which show an increase are —duty on reiined sugar and molasses, 7333/.; postage, 951/. ; commission on money orders, 237/.; fees of office, 30/.; rents, exclusive of land, 1090/.; railways, 3852/. ; pilotage rates, harbor dues, and fees, 209/.; tonnage dues, Newcastle, 82/.; iuterest on city debentures, 5000/.; and miscellaneous reeeipts, 1068/. On examining the statement before us, we find that in the Customs' revenue the falling °ff is in the receipts from spirits, wine, tobacco, tea, sugar and molasses, and coffee and chicory ; but from ale and beer, opium, a nd other articles there is an increase. For duty on spirits distilled in the colony there have been no receipts this quarter, and this accounts for the large decrease ; but on the other hand there is almost a similar amount collected for duty on refined sugars and Molasses, against nil for the first quarter of 1863.

Under the head of Gold, the decrease is in the duty on gold, leases of auriferous lands,

miners' rights, and business licenses: but for fees for escort and conveyance of gold there is a smnll increase of 94/. The Mint receipts show a decrease hardly worth noticing. With regard to the land revenue, the principal decrease is in the amount derived from the land sales. For the first quarter of 1864 the receipts amounted to only 24,775/. against 52,135/. in 1863, the decrease being 27,360/. The rents of land for pastoral purposes and assessment on runs show an increase, but from quit rents, licenses to cut timber, &c., on Crown laud and mineral leases there is a decrease. There is a steady increase of about 8 per cent, on the postage receipts, but the commission on money-orders has reached 255/. during the past quarter, against 18/. for the corresponding quarter of 1863. The revenue derived from licenses, fees of office, and fines and forfeitures, pilotage rates, tonnage dues Newcastle, and miscellaneous receipts calls for no remark, the decrease and increase being of a very trifling amount.

Under the head of rents, exclusive of land, which includes tolls and ferries, wharfs, military canteen, Government buildings, and Glebe Island Abattoir, the receipts amount to 6232/. against 5143/. in 1863. It is satisfactory to find that the railway tolls show an increase of 3852/, or 13 per cent., the receipts being 32,587/. against 28,735; but from the Electric Telegraph receipts we regret to find a decrease for the first time of 1552/ or 17 per cent. Under the head of Interest on City Debentures there is a sum of 5000/. for the first quarter of 1864 against nil in 1863. Special receipts in the present statement published by the Government include Immigration remittances which formerly appeared uuder the head of revenue proper, but the difference in the past quarter and that of 1863 is only 496/. "We also observe a new item—lmperial postage, 4955/. against nil in 1863. The total amount received under the head of special receipts for the first quarter of 1864 is 15,511/. against 9515/. in 1863, which is an increase 0f5925/ on the quarter.