END OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 76, 1 April 1891, Page 2

END OF THE FINANCIA L YEAR.

THE EXPECTED SURPLUS. The finanoial year 1890-91 ended yosterday, and the Government oflioiala in all departments are now busily engaged in making np their accounts. It will of necessity be Borne days before the result oan be known with any degree of oortainty, but Ministers are already in possession of snffioient information to show that tho oolony's balance-sheeet for the year will be very satisfactory. There is every reason to bolieve that tho revenue will be shown to have eioooded tho expenditure by moro than £50,000— this, too, in Bpite of heavy inroads upon the oioheqner in tho shape of unauthorised expenditure. Thore was one item of £29,000 for the Railway Department alono, to meet expenses whioh the late Government mado so provision for. Tbe unauthorised expenditure has for the last year been abnormally large, and has even reached the maximum of .£lOO,OOO to whioh Ministers are limited. The returns of the Customs Department are oomplete, having been telegraphed to head quarters by the Collectors throughout the oolony. The total general revenue of the department for the twelve months was £1,527,233 15a 7d. The estimate set down in the last Financial Statoment was .£1,450,000, co that tbe aotual receipts appear to be £47 233 15s 7d to tho good. It muet. however, be borne in mind that at the time tho estimate was made the Primage Dnty was in fall foroe. This was discontinued whon half the year had expirod. As tbe half-year's primage OBtimato wonld amount to .£27,500, the net estimate booomes £1,452,500, and the surplus in tho department .£64,733. bir Harry Atkinson, when giving up the control of the Treasury, prepared a supplementary Financial Statement, in whioh he estimated the Customs revenue for tho last three months of the year at .£400,000. There has, howover, been a falling- off in tho quarter, and the revenue arising irom the Rimutaka's cargo did not come into the Maroh month as was expected, so that tho receipts suffer to that extent, and tbe revised estimate was not realised. Coming to the dotails of the Customs returns, we find that for last month the total was £122,713, as agaiDßt £146,501 in February (the largest month on reoord) and £123,608 in Maroh of last year. Auokland yielded £29,258 j Wellington, £23,840; Lyt. tolton and Christohurch, £20,825; and Dunedin, £25,716. Beer duty was expeotod to prodnoe £54,000 in the you, Tho aotnal reoeipts oame to £58.030 7« 9d, giving a surplus of £4030 7s 9d. The Maroh total was £5118, as againßt £4668 in February and £5418 in March of last year. The contributions of the prinoipal centres were :- Auckland, £1180; Wellington, £579; Christchnroh. £1013; Dunedin, £1237.