HIGHER RETURNS IN CHRISTCHURCH

Southland Times, Issue 23680, 1 December 1938, Page 3

HIGHER RETURNS IN CHRISTCHURCH

FIGURES FOR NOVEMBER OF TWO YEARS (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, November 30. Customs figures for Christchurch this year have in general fallen below the exceptionally high figures of the twv previous years, but the returns for the last month exceeded those for November 1937 by £7948. For the eight months of the present financial year the revenue collected at Christchurch totalled £1,406,128—£55,891 less than the same'period in 1937. Revenue from the sales tax has been fairly well maintained and the November total is £612 higher than the November total last year. Over the eight-monthly period this year the sales tax revenue is £19,375 less than last year’s. Petrol tax and beer duty alone show a consistent upward trend for the eight-monthly period, being £14,236 and £6939 respectively in excess of last year’s returns.

RISE IN CUSTOMS AT WELLINGTON DROP IN SALES TAX (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 30. For the first time since last April the net Customs revenue collected at Wellington shows an increase compared with the corresponding month last year. The net revenue at Wellington for November reached the exceptionally high figure of £378,835, which is the second highest total ever collected at Wellington, the record being £385,369 collected in September 1937. Sales tax, however, shows a decrease of more than £10,500, which, following decreases for severaPmonths past, indicates a slight falling off in general internal trade. The revenue from petrol tax shows a decrease, as does that from tyre duty. Beer duty, on the other hand, shows an increase. For the eight months of the financial year the net customs revenue is down by £233,151 and the sales tax by £25,275. The details for November, those for November 1937 also being shown, aro: 1938 1937 £ £ Net customs revenue 378,835 369,466 Motor spirit duty 75,282 79,806 Tyre tax 2,676 2,737 Sales tax 110,071 120,593 Beer excise 9,457 8,460 HIGHER FIGURES FOR YEAR IN AUCKLAND MAJOR HEADINGS SHOW, INCREASE FOR MONTH (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, November 30. Increases under the four major headings in the revenue collected by the Customs Department at Auckland occurred this month, compared with the figures for the corresponding month

last year. There was a slight decrease under the minor heading of tyre duty, but revenue from Customs, motor spirit and sales tax, as well as excise on beer, were all substantially above the figures for November 1937.

The declining tendency of the Customs revenue which was noted earlier in the year, but was arrested in October, was not apparent in November. The total of £330,902, although below the October figure of £343,520, was substantially above the return of £312,207 for November 1937. The figures for the year to date are well above those at the' corresponding period last year, the respective totals being £3,240,942 and £3,173,138 for the 11 month periods. Revenue from the motor spirit tax amounted to £76,762 this month, against £72,038 in November 1937. The total under this heading for the 11 months this year was £788,750, compared with £710,732 for the same period in 1937. The only decline recorded this month was in tyre duty, the return being £3275, compared with £4721 in November 1937. For the 11 months of 1938 the figure at £29,968 is below the 1937 return of £32,964. The sales tax yielded £97,383 this month, comparing favourably with the total of £89,943 collected in the corresponding month last year. For the 11 months this year the sales tax produced £952,358, compared with £928,374. Excise on beer returned £24,064 this month, against £21,619 for November last year. The revenue for the 11 months was £192,356, compared with £174,029.

FOREIGN EXCHANGES (Received November 30, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 29.

THE BUTTER MARKET FERM TONE IN LONDON LONDON, November 29. The butter market is firm. Quotations: New Zealand.—Choicest salted, 104/to 105/-; unsalted, 110/- to 112/-. Australian.—Salted, 102/- to 103/-. THE PRICE OF GOLD (Received November 30, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 29. The price of gold is £7 9/3 an ounce.

Details are as follows:— Nov. 1937 Nov. 1938 4 £ £ Customs 112,157 119,195 Beer 14,817 13,677 Petrol tax 26,811 28,275 Tyre tax 1,643 1,466 Sales tax 39,060 39,672 Light dues Export levies— 442 387 Wool 70 44 Meat 27 265 Miscellaneous 42 36 TOTALS 195,069 203,017 EIGHT MONTHS 1937-38 1938-39 £ £ Customs 857,244 798,914 Beer 93,288 89,227 Petrol tax 183,707 197,943 Tyre tax 9,989 8,597 Sales tax 315,555 296,180 Light dues Export levies— 4,885 4,812 Wool 1,667 1,379 Meat 5,302 8,499 Honey 13 41 Miscellaneous 366 536 TOTALS 1,462,019 1,406,128

Par. Nov. 28 Nov. 29 Paris, fr. to £1 170 178 19-32 1 178 15-32 New York, dol. to £1 4.866 4.65 4.65 7-16 Montreal, dol. to £1 4.866 4.67% 4.68% Brussels, belgas to £1 35 27.48% 27.52% Geneva, fr. to £1 25.2216 20.47 20.48% Amsterdam. kr. to £1 12.107 8.54% 8.55 Milan, lire to £1 92.43 83% 88 7-16 Berlin, relchmarken to £1 20.43 11.60% 11.62 Copenhagen. kr. to £1 18.159 22.60 22.60 Stockholm, kr. to £1 18.159 19.41 19.41 Oslo, kr. to £1 18.159 19.90 19.90 Prague, kr. to £1 154.25 135% 135% Helsingfors, marks to £1 193.23 226% 226% Madrid, pese tas to £1 25.2216 — Lisbon, escudos to 1 El 110 110% 110% Athens, dracb to £1 375 547% 547% Bucharest, lei to £1 818.60 665 665