SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1907. THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 28, 2 February 1907, Page 4

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1907. THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

Last woek we dealt with the public finances for the nine months ended 31st December, based on the figures of the Colonial Treasurer, so that there is not the necessity for dealing in detail with the figures which were published in tho Gazette this week, and which were briefly referred to in our issue of yesterday. In this connectira we -refer -more particularly to tho ordinary revonue account. There is, however, an interesting feature in submitting the New Zealand revenue returns with those of tho States of the Commonwealth. The Australian figures are for the six months, Ist July to 31st December, and the New Zealand figures for the corresponding period have been taken to make the comparison a fair one. The appended table discloses the position : —

New South Wales's increase is by far the largest, being equal to 14.8 per cent. ; the other Australian increases are South Australia 11.2 per cent., Queensland 7.9 per cent., and 6.8 per cent, in Victoria. Tasmania and West Australia show Blight decreases. Tho expansion for the Commonwealth is equal to 9.3 per cent. Tho increase in the New Zealand revenue is equal to nearly 13.50 per cent. It will be seen that while New Zealand is in a flourishing condition, four out of the six Stat«3 of the Commonwealth appear to be enjoying as much prosperity as New Zealand. .So far we have not touched upon tho Public Works Fund, and the figures under this head are interesting. During the nine months tho receipts and expenditure were as under:— RECEIPTS. £ Loan* and premiums .. .. 942,632 Transferred from Consolidats'l Fund .. _ 550,000 Other receipt* .. _ .. 823 1,493,466 Brought forward — ... 482,299 1,985,754 EXPENDITURE. £ On public works .. .. 1,353,539 Charges nnd expenses of loan* 9,317 1,362,656 Balance _ - „ 622,838 1,985,754 Tho balance at the Ond of last year was thus £622,853, but of this sum £305,768 was tractically paid out, leaving a cash balance Sf £317,130. The monoy available for meeting expenditure during the current quarter, according to a recent statement of Sir Joseph I Ward, is as follows : — £ Bnlanfee as above „ _ i. „ '317,130 llalance of loans 251,900 Transfer from Consolidated Fund .. 220,000 I £794,030 estimated expenditure in Mnrch quarter „„„„.... 420,000 £374,030 Tho position is that the total available for expenditure during the first half of this year is approximately £794,000, and at our present rate of spending the amount is about sufficient ior the six months, which moans that wo shall have another Loan Bill this session for at least £1,000.000; it is likely to be more unless the Consolidated Fund yields a, bigger surplus taan the Treasurer anticipates, and there is something more than £500,000 available for transfer to the Public Works Fund. If £420,000! is spent during tho current quarter, as estimated by the Treasurer, the total expenditure on public works for the i financial year will bo £1,773,439, and compares with tho expenditure of previous years as under: — £ 1901 „ 1,307,511 1902 „ 2,136,202 1903 _ 1,424,484 1904 „ 1,532,332 1905 _ 1,303,383 1906 „ 1,714,012 1907 _ „ .. 1,773,439

•Increase 1805 1906. tDeoreiute. £ £ £ Xew South Walea 5,717,475 6,563,870 846,395' Victoria „ .. 3,515,202 3,765,537 240,355' Queensland .. 1,909,143 2,060,134 150,991' South Australia .. 1,181,273 1,313,487 132,214' West Australia .. 1,656,933 1,634,491 22,442 i Tasmania ... . 454,338 451,649 2,689) Total .. .14,434,364 15,779,1881,344,82? New Zealand .. 3,771,836 4,280,070 508,234*