INDIAN BUDGET. ,

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 753, 28 February 1910, Page 5

INDIAN BUDGET. ,

iBEVISED'ESTIMATESFOE'THE TEAE, : By Teleeranh—Press Assopiatlon—Obpyrirtt; 'r'y'-i^.' : ? .25.;;;;' an .Budget for'/1910-ll;shpws;the T^evised-'estimates^of.revenue' and : expenditure ,: for ,V1909-io.'/':; .The ■ - estimates,; 'along..with,-the loriginal,'estimates;; aie as ibUow'^-r.^sj;;.:.:;; ,yyjj 'i;-'/'-4;;-!-'r :,';';>. '.V/ , i , C---''!^-V. ; 7^':\'V'^'-'''■■"' : •'-':■':*' B *4'.''.j : 'v!' :>:!:'::'; ■'"■':•■■!::.l ,;Estimale. : 11evenne:;„::i1i;1i!^73,750,9()0 ; ;'je75,264 1 600 q : : -. ;It is expected: that the 'decrease in tho : ppium.'revenue'in;.l9lorll, wili, be; iE871,800. -' ' eft ;: !:"P;''SPPOPOBALS:.-.;,:;: : :';;;:;;V.;; ; -;; ■•;"':By, a'greenent'.ibßtweenitne Goverhnvent •of China—whioh ■:has ,prohibited the use of opium ; ih' China-rand; the Government of .Great 'Britain, -the.'export ofVopinm ifrom ',* India : ;is-;-being •;. -.gradually. ■ ;,ende.di In 1908-09 India's'net revenue from opium :.wa5:,je4,619,900. ! ;::The-, 1909-10 ;Budget esti;mated;:a "decrease; of ££1,301,600,:' reducing' . the -; net ■• from .' this'. : Source '-.- t0., : JE3,314,300'.'-' Now,: -according ;to the cablegram'; -the', 1910-11 :■■ Budget': estimates .a ■fu'rtherJreduction;by .£871,800.;:;,; ' (■-.'■' A -Tariff r.Eefbrm r writer! 'The bpiu'm. ; :r'evenue, ; :;which: yielded'over five millions sterling,' has been.surrendered • and, will ;be soon' a thing' of ;■ the-past,'- and ;it '.may, .'prove; difficult. to ! '-meet;:the : jn- : 'creasing; expenditure..' The' Indian:point: .of'iview.'which'musi how.in-the long:run", ' assert;' -itself, v: willi ; plump.:• •: for'. indirect 'taxatiphi'and, will 'find ready to hand :the. existing: tariff. with' ->its: machinery, chea:p,' effective," and : impalpable.'> This tariff,.with ■ its.-general -duty ; 'rof : >; 5' per cent;. ad valorem oh imports- and.o;3i"per cent, duty "on . cotton ;;g6bds, .yielded £3,959,719 -in'the last.year'',under report,-'whilb:-.the exporfduty'bnrice ; (4d.-p'er'owt.) brought ' in- i6G4,900..Mn. spite 'of, this; export duty, an. article;'which us .:by.)ho; means; a. 'monopoly,'.. the::demand continues to,: increase,.; and ; the-export 1 of. .'..rice ; -. from Burma 'has'risen ; . by .'steady and: heavj-. inoreraents from; 195,0001 tons -in ,1903-4 to '979,000 tons'in 1907-8.. If the Indian, point, !'of.":view,.:.is .accepted,: there Vwould , be. a ;revorsioh toftho fiscal.'nblicy.-.which-.pre-. vailed till, 1860, /by' which every "import paid a 10 per cent.,duty and overy.export a '3: per'cent....duty.; .There would .'.be ample room in such a scale of duties for a preference for Great and Greater Britain." , The: revised estimates for .1909-10; cabled above,'. compare : as; .follow'.,with- the re-, vised estimates: for 1908-09 -.-7.;,,-/ :.-.,:.-.: 1908-00. ;V 1909+10. ■'•- ■ReVenue:.'.-.:...::.ie69,628,600 ,:,:■ ~£75,264,600 Expenditure..'. '£73,349,100 , ... £75,081,800

",'". ■'.Deficit' ...£3,720,500 Surplus £245,800. The;burden■ of Indian- taxation,: by: the Budget 0f'1909-10,''. is "w -follows:—.;'.",":■;. : -' Salt : .;.„i.....i--...»i~-... : '3,052,500 ' i Stamps ~.....:.........«—...;. 4/427,800 - ,-'• ■-.'Excise. .»....:.......-«— 6,717,100 . • Provincial rataa......--.. ,533,600. ■ Customs .:..../.....,.....«..». 4,927,000 .■■'' - Assessed -taxes. —..: 1,577,300 ■ ..,-■ / "•' Registration;......... '441,300 ~; '../■■ /,: ■;■'' Total.-.^:....;...;;.™... : 21,676,600 /-;.