IN SOUTHERN CENTRES

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 206, 1 September 1936, Page 5

IN SOUTHERN CENTRES

INCREASE AT WELLINGTON. IMPROVED DUNEDIN RETURNS. Returns of customs revenue in southern centres for the month of August indicate the improved trade position. Details are as follow:— Wellington.—The customs revenue totalled £289,754, compared with £243,910 in August, 1935, an increase of £45,844. For the eight months of the calendar year the revenue was £2,117,108, compared with £1,723,780 in the corresponding period of 1935, an increase of £393,388. The duty oil motor spirit totalled £01,208, compared with £33,105 in August, 1935. For the eight months the figures are £540,532 and £422,040, an increase of £123,88 G. Collections of sales tax in August totalled £93,205, a new record figure, compared with £75,008 in August. 1935, an increase of £17,597. The total for the eight months, £080,802, shows an increase of £128,374 over last year's total of £552,428. Beer excise collections for August totalled £4253, compared with £3904, an increase of £289. For the fight months there was an increase of £270-}, the figures being £37,927 and £35.223. Dunedin.—A substantial increase in the value of imports is shown in the returns for the month just ended and for the five-monthly period of the financial year. Following are the figures for August, with the figures for August, 1035, in parentheses:—Customs duty, £02,200 ( £40,880); beer duty, £25.520 ( £12,130) ; sales tax, £24,192 (£19,849); petrol tax, £12,320 ( £5273); tyre tax, £819 (£709); gold duty, £2395 ( £1304). The returns for the five months of the current financial year, with those for the corresponding period of last year are:—Customs dutv. £388,549 (£249,339); beer duty, £103.SSB (£51,770); sales tax, £110.755 ( £100,984) ; petrol tax. £04.980 (£50,203); tyre tax, £3017 (£3011); gold duty, £10,051 ( £9100). Wanganui.—An increase of just over 50 per cent is recorded in the August customs returns for the port of Wanganui. The total receipts from all sources last month were . £14,020, as compared with £8318 for the corresponding period last year. Customs duty increased by £2480. and petrol duty was advanced by £1832, as compared with the same period last year. The figures are considered particular!}' good, as August is recognised as a comparatively slack month. The returns for the first eight months of the present year show an increase of approximately 30 per cent over last year.