RISING EXPENDITURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16982, 16 October 1918, Page 6

RISING EXPENDITURE.

FIGURES FOR SIX MONTHS MILLION ABOVE REVENUE. •[by telegram.—press ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Tuesday. A statement regarding the revenue'and expenditure of the Consolidated Fund for the first, six months of the current and the previous financial year wa6 given by the Minister for Finance this evening. • The figures are as follow 1918. 1917. Expenditure £8,252,781 £6,485,865 Itovenue ... ... 7,056,998 6,049.858 Excess of Expenditure £1,195,783 £436,007 The Minister remarked that the net increase in revenue was £1,007,140 and the increase lin expenditure £1,766,916; The increase in expenditure for the first 1 six months of the financial year thus exceeded the increase in, revenue for the earno period by £759,776, the heavy increase in expenditure being due to interest and sinking fund charges and war pensions. Details of the increases in revenue are Customs, £191,641 stamps and death duties, £112,580; Postal and Telegraph, £166,124; Land Tax, £47,055; Income Tax, £75,563; beer duty, £30,522; Railways £234,244; registration and other fees, £2063; miscellaneous, £143,226; national endowment, £8331; other receipts, £3006. Decreases of revenue are:— Marine, £1862, and Territorial, £5353. Tho increase in interest and sinking fund charges for the period amounted to £1,140,519. Other increases in expenditure were:—Under special-Acts, £420,231; Civil List, £1535; Finance Department, £18,917; Post and Telegraph, £61,121; Railways, £207,708; Public Buildings, £5852; Native Department, £1655; Justice, £12531; Mines, £9560; Internal Affairs, £11,533;. Customs and Marine, £7836; Labour, £1758; Lands and Survey, £19,977; Education, £39,884. Decreases in expenditure during the period wereLegislative, £4608; Defence, £13,561; Agricultural, £20,720; services not provided for, £26,849; purchase of wheat, £128,362. Tiro increase in expenditure make a total of £1,961.017, and decreases a total of £194,100, leaving an increase in expenditure of £1,766,917.

" If we contrast the ordinary Departmental expenditure, exclusive of interest and sinking fund and other permanent oharges," stated Sir Joseph, " it will be found that the expenditure for the six months ended .September 30 exceeded that for the corresponding period of 1917 by £332,994. In, view of the fact that the better half of the financial year as regards revenue has still to come, I think the ? 06 it ion may be considered satisfactory. he greatest increases. of Departmental expenditure are under the headings of railways, post and telegraph, and education. In the case of the Railways Department the increase in revenue for the six months is less than the increase in expenditure. " The Public Works Department shows an increase of £44,689 in expenditure, as compared with the corresponding period of last year. The expenditure out of the Public 'Works Fund continues to be well regulated, and no difficulty has been found by the Treasury in providing -for the requirements of the Department. The expenditure for the six months shows an increase of £7145 over the expenditure for the corresponding period of 1917. The increases are i-'-Pnblic buildings, . £8592; lighthouses, etc., £1774; tourist and health resorts, £117; immigration, £96; roads and bridges, £17,283; telegraph extension, £89,213; contingent Defence, £889; irrigation and water supply-, £828; plant, material and stores, £4894. _ Decreases in the public works expenditure were:—Railway construction,' £81,908; development of ■ mining, £4l; lands improvement, £186; unauthorised, £4006. Tho net increase in the public works expenditure wa'i thus £44,689-" . Jj'