CUSTOMS REVENUE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 128, 1 June 1935, Page 11

CUSTOMS REVENUE

BIG IMPROVEMENT SHOWN

The figures of Customs revenue received in Wellington during last month are greater by a considerable 'sum than those for any previous month since November, 1930. In general, Customs revenue remains very buoyant, considerable increases being recorded, particularjy in the sales tax section.

Last month's' net Customs revenue totalled" £249,4.62, as against £196,056 for the corresponding period of the previous'year and £157,551 for May, 1933. The net total for the first five months of the year is £1,079,085—an increase of £ 173,222 on the figure for the corresponding period of 1934, and of £301,770 for the first five months of 1933. Following are the figures for each month, with those of the corresponding month in the previous year in parentheses: — January, £221,424 (£194,707); February, £192,631 (£153,697); March, £208,137 (£179,834); April, £207,431 (£181,569); May, £249,462 (£196,056); total, £1,079,085 (£905,863).

The motor spirit duty for May, 1935, totalled £32,107, at 6d a gallon, and £21,418 at 4d a gallon, a total of £53,525. This is a decrease of £4957 on last year's total for the period of £58,482, composed of £35,089 at 6d a gallon and £23,393 at 4d a gallon. The ,4d a gallon amounts are included in the net Customs revenue, and the 6d a gallon amounts are paid into the Main Highways Fund. Over the five months' period £299,906 has been collected, a decrease of £6828.

Last month's tire tax figure of £2374 showed an increase of £567 on that of May, 1934. Over the five months £ 10,295 has been collected, an increase of £2443. '

The sales tax in May, 1935, realised £71,515, an increase of -£14,708 over the £56,807 for the same month of the previous year. Since the tax came into force on February 10, 1933, £1,455,711 has been collected at Wellington. For the past five months £332,850 was collected, an increase of £62,438 on the corresponding period of 1934. Beer excise collections for May showed a decrease of £1209 on those of May, 1934. The figures are £4057 and £5266 respectively. For the five months, the 1935 figure, £22,983, showed a decrease of £698. « IN OTHER CENTRES The following returns from other centres are supplied by the Press Association: — Auckland.—All-round increases in the revenue collected by the Customs Department at Auckland are shown by the returns for May, with the exception of the excise on beer, which shows a small reduction. Details are as follows, figures for May last year being given in parentheses:— Customs, £211,355 (£204,686); motor spirit, £51,080 (£42,472); tire duty, £2103 (£1540); excise on beer, £9964 (£12,339); sales tax, £54,683 (£49,231). Dunedin.—Customs returns for the month of May are as follows, the figvires for the corresponding month last year being given in parentheses:—Customs, £58,404 (£56,630); beer, £18,240 (£16,713); sales tax, £20,893 (£20,512); petrol tax, £14,066 (£13,140); tire tax, £814 (£561). Christchurch.—Customs returns for May show increases on those for May, 1934. Details are as follows, last year's figures being shown in parentheses:— Customs, £79,195 (£69,600); beer duty, £6579 (£7860); sales tax, £27,498 (£24,140); gold tax, £163 (£27); petrol duty, £19,300 (£16,893).