DOMINION FINANCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18991, 12 October 1923, Page 8

DOMINION FINANCE.

REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE. A MARKED IMPROVEMENT. (Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, October 11. The Acting Finance Minister (Sir Francis Bell) gave important details of the revenue and expenditure of the dominion for the six months ended September 30, compared with the same period for 1922. The Minis tor stated that the revenue shows a lie* increase of £516,026. The principal increases are: Customs £813,873 and income tax £104,536, while the decreases are Post and Telegraph £135,055, Stamps £25,740, interest on public moneys and miscellaneous, £339,441. The lastnamed decrease is mainly due to the fact that the interest has not been recouped this year from the Discharged Soldiers’ Account, the money being required in the account for re-issues and advances. The total expenditure for the six months is £405,499 less than for the same six months of 1922. Under the heading of permanent charges the Interest and Sinking Fund expenditure is slightly increased by £15,021, but under the special Acts there is a reduction of £212,483. Under the annual appropriations the reductions in expenditure are fairly general in all departments, the principal decreases being Railways £283,858. Post and Telegraph £27,483, Health £45,546, Industries and Commerce (nominal) x!65,657. The main increases are Pensions £22,825. Printing Office (nominal) £73,923, Mental Hospitals £10,502, Naval Defence £40,663, Lands and Survey £20,900, Education £99,547, Defence £18,252. Taking the not increase in revenue and the decrease in expenditure, the position is £921,525 to the good compared with the same six months of 1922.