CUSTOMS REVENUE

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25588, 1 September 1948, Page 6

CUSTOMS REVENUE

CHRISTCHURCH FIGURES A decrease of £50,990 is shown in the returns of customs revenue collected at Christchurch for August, 1948, compared with August last year. For the five months of the present financial year, £1,979,291 has been collected, compared with £2,111,816. Figures for August were £413,663 compared with £464,653 in August, 1947. Details of returns for August, with the figures for last year in parenthesis, are:— Customs duty, £189,693 (£220,716); beer duty, £49,520 (£41,100); petrol duty. £27,213 (£35,609); tyre duty, £2038 (£2370); sales tax, £132.848 (£149,463); light dues, £6ll (£634); export levy, hides, £11,633 (£14,671); miscellaneous, £lO7 (£9O). The figures for the five months’ period this year, with those for the corresponding period in 1947 in parenthesis, are:—Customs duty. £910,676 (£965,875); beer duty £207,197 (£207.140); petrol duty, £140,938 (£151,215); tyre duty, £9477 (£9527); sales tax, £664,302 (£735,439); light dues, £3315 (£3538); export levy, hides, £42,805 (£38,542); miscellaneous, £5Bl (£540). AUCKLAND Customs revenue collected at Auckland in August showed an appreciable drop on the figure for the corresponding month last year. The returns showed a decline in all revenue except motor spirits. The returns for August, 1948, with figures for August, 1947, in parenthesis, are:—Customs. £470,02. (£725,446); motor spirit. £86,567 (£86,444); tyre duty, £4220 (£13,387); beer duty, £64,881 (£85.443); sales tax, £321,074 (£267,952). Totals: £946,769 (£258,672). DUNEDIN Customs figures for the port of Otago for August, 1948, show a decrease of £7402 on the corresponding figures last year. The figures, with those for the same period last year in parenthesis, were:—Customs, £116,328 (£116,934); beer,' £56,350 (£55.955); sales, £87,708 (£94,974); gold. £673 (£186); petrol, £13,751 (£17,354); tyres, £1333 t£6o2). Totals: £278,603 (£286,005). TIMARU Customs revenue at the port of Timaru during August amounted to £32,306, compared with £34,349 last year. Revenue was made up as follows, with details for August, 1947, in parenthesis:—customs, £12,522 (£15,965); sales tax, £5393 £5138); petrol, £5470 (£6507); miscellaneous, £8921 (£6739).

STOCK SALES

The biggest yarding of cattle for several weeks was forward at yesterdays stock sale at Rangiora. Prices obtained for pigs were well in advance of prices ruling ar the last sale. Prices were as follows:—pigs, weaners, 44s to 50s. Cattle.—Springing heifers, £8 to £lO 10s; springing heifers, close to calving, £23 to £25; autumn calvers. in full profit. £8 to £25; Friesian yearling bull, £lO 10s; store cows, £4; heifer calf, £4ASHBURTON WHh a limited supply of fat sheep offering at the Ashburton stock sale yesterday, prices rose appreciably on those of last week's sale at Tinwald. The increase was up to 8s a head for prime quality. Most of the wethers were shorn. Fat wethers realised up to 48s for medium quality, to 58s for prime wethers, and up to 71s 7d for extra prime. A pen of wethers in the wool sold at 74s Id. Fat ewes in the wool made up to 48s 6d for medium quality, to 59s 6d for prime ewes, and up to 77s 7d for extra prime quality two-tooths. LORN E VILLE (P.A.) INVERCARGILL, Aug. 31. Last week’s high values for fat eattle were not maintained at to-day’s Lorneville sale, and there was a drop of about £2 a head. There was an over-supply or wethers and prices fell but prices for ewes increased by several shillings, supply not being up to buyers’ requirements. Good heavy bullocks made to £3l, heavy bullocks to £26. medium £23 to £25. lighter from £lB to £2O, good heavy heifers to £23 10s. medium £l9 to £2l. lighter down to £l6, extra heavy cowl to £2l, medium sorts to £lB 10s, light and unfinished £l2 to £l6. prime heavy wethers to 795, medium 72s to 755, lighter 65s to 70s, unfinished down to 54s on, shorn W’ethers from 64s to 68s 3d, P ri "J e heavy ewes 64s to 68s, medium 58s to 62a, lighter and unfinished 46s to 50s, wether hoggets 46s to 48s.