RECORD REVENUE

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 158, 1 April 1937, Page 13

RECORD REVENUE

Customs Receipts and Sales Tax WELLINGTON FIGURES Steady, Continuous Growth of Imports New high records were established during the financial year ended yesterday by the net Customs revenue collected at Wellington, also by the amount of sales tax. Collections of motorspirit tax and of beer excise for the year showed substantial increases on those for the previous year, the only decrease shown being a very small decline in tire tax.

For 42 months now the net Customs revenue at Wellington has exceeded in every instance the figure for the corresponding month of the previous year, a very clear indication of the steady and continuous return of imports to their normal level after the tremendous contraction which took place from 1930 to 1933. As the present export season is the best for many years, Indications are that imports will be maintained at their present high level, even if no further expansion is shown. The figures for the 1936-37 and 193536 financial years afford the following

The net Customs revenue collected at Wellington last month totalled £318,057, compared with £279,020 in March, 1936, an increase of £39,037, while compared with March, 1935, it is up by £109,920. For the 12 months of the financial year the revenue totals £3,373,019, compared with £2,810,605 for the 1935-36 year, an increase of £562,414, while compared with the 1934-35 year there is an increase of £922,384. A detailed comparison for each of the 12 months is given in the following table: —

Motor-Spirit and Tire Tax. The duty collected on motor-spirit last month totalled £50,075 at Gd. a gallon, and £33,383 at 4d. a gallon, a total of £83,458, compared with £71,840 at Gd. a gallon, and £47,896 at 4d. a gallon, a total of £119,736 for March, 1936, a decrease of £36,278. The abnormal motor-spirit figures for last month and particularly for March, 1936, are not due to any sudden increase in consumption or withdrawals from bond, but to an adjustment of duty suspense accounts at the end of the financial year. For the 12 months the figures are £789,687, and £709,254 respectively, an increase of £80,433. The amounts collected at 4d. a gallon are already included in the net Customs revenue given above, being paid into the Consolidated Fund, as distinct from those at Gd. a gallon, which go to the Main Highways Fund. Collections of tire tax last month totalled £1752, compared with £579 in March, 193 G, an increase of £1173. For the 12 months there is a decrease of £539, the figures being £22,935 and £23,474 respectively. Sales Tax and Beer Duty.

Collections of sales tax in March totalled £116,164, compared with £82,035 in March, 1936, an increase of £34,129. The March figure is about £lO,OOO above the previous record total, but as two discount days occurred in March, against one in a normal month, it is not a true single month total. The total for the 12 months, £1,144,173, shows an increase of £233,551 over last year’s total of £910,292. This tax came into force on February 10, 1933, and the total so far collected at Wellington is £3,284,689.

Beer excise collections for March totalled £7639, compared with £6303 in March, 1936, an increase of £1336. For the 12 months the figures are £68,717 and £60,237 respectively, an increase of £B4BO. DUNEDIN INCREASES By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, March 31. Customs duty collected at Dunedin for the 12 months ended to-day shows an increase of £86,364 compared with the figures for the previous financial year, while the total collected during March (£69,318) is the greatest since August, 1930. Beer duty, sales tax and gold duty all show increases for the past 12 months, only tire tax revealing a slight decrease. Figures for last March, compared with those for the same month of last year, show similar increases, with the exception of petrol tax, the position of which is not correctly set out owing to adjustments made to a special suspense account during the year ended March 31, 1936. Following’ are the figures for March, with those for the same month last year:—

By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, March 31. Customs revenue at Christchurch for the financial year ended to-day shows an increase of £314,142. Main totals, with last year’s figures in parentheses are: Customs, £1,056.974 (£905,746) ; beer and excise, £104,902 (£84,1731 ; sales tax, £405,978 (£323653); tire duty, £11,514 (£11,047): petrol tax, £254,091 (£225,963). Main figures for the month of March,

witli last year’s in parentheses, are: Customs, £97,262 (£87,342) : beer and excise, £10,984 (£7496) ; sales tax, £39,640 (£23,501); tire duty, £1022 (£577) ; petrol tax, £23,356 (£42,236). Total, £173,899 (£162,973).

comparison:— 1935-36. 1936-37. £ £ Net Customs revenue 3,373,019 2,810,605 Sales tax 1,144,173 910,292 Motor spirit duty .... 789,(87 709,254 Tire tax 22,935 23,4 <4 Beer excise 68,717 60,237

1036-37 £ 1935-36 £ 207.431 May .. 262,191 249,462 June .. 259,261 188,697 July .... .. 289,466 212,088 August .. 243,910 September . 283,601 227,827 October ,. 274,365 260,389 November .. 338,390 255,872 December .. 279,546 224,896 January . .. 259,078 231.145 February .. 242,850 229,938 March ... ., 318,057 279,020 Total . .. 3,373,019 2,810,605

Mar., 193". Mar., 1936. £ £ Customs duty ... 69,318 64,139 Beer duty ... ... 26,157 23,614 .Sales tax ... ... 26,432 19,540 Petrol tax ... ... 16,835 25,891 Tire tax .... 825 266 Gold duty ... ... 2,109 1,416 Figures for the financial year and those for the previous 12 months are as follows: — 1936-1937. 1935-1936. £ £ Customs duty .... 740,042 653,678 Beer duty276,118 242,463 Sales tax ... 291,666 251,635 Petrol tax .. 170,366 157,813 Tire tax .... 7,904 8,213 Gold duty .. 22,952 22,926 CHRISTCHURCH FIGURES