GIGANTIC FIGURES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 119, 22 May 1928, Page 8

GIGANTIC FIGURES.

COST OF RUNNING AUSTRALIA £36,945,817 IN NINE MONTHS. PUBLIC DEBT £485,400,161. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 18. Gigantic costs involved in running a huge continent like Australia are illustrated in Federal figures concerning inconic and expenditure issued this week by the Federal treasurer, Dr. Earle Page.

Outstanding feature, incidentally, is 'hat the public debt at March 31 was £1.5,">,400,]01, as compared with £459,787,!)!)7 in March, 1927.

The debt outstanding at March 31 is allocated as follows:—War debt, £291,854.534; Commonwealth works and other purposes, £78,110.832; loans raised for the States, £113,390,850; capital commission. £2.013,943.

Excluding business undertakings, territories of the Commonwealth, and payments to or for the States, total expenditure for the nine months to March 31 was £30.94.1,817, compared with £34,640,704 for the same period in 1927.

The increase of £2,305,053 was mainly accounted for by contributions to redemption of debt, £502,213; interest, £180.119; invalid anr old-age pensions, £29ti,4fifi; war pensions, £378,922; wine export bounty, £189,791; and naval const ruction, £352.000.

Unfortunately, the revenue receded, too, the figure for the nine months being £10,1 "2.481), compared with £42,412,987 last, year, a deficit or decrease of £2,200.498.

Customs and excise revenue was £32,383.947, a decrease of £964,330.

"These, decreases," Dr. Page explained, "are due to the general financial stringency."

Total loan expenditure on works and services was £3,462,685, main items being postal services £2,614,594, railways, £1,64."). 114; and war service homes, £818,642.