AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 62, 27 October 1911, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

FEDERAL BUDGET. Melbourne, October 26. Mr Fisher delivered his,Budget, and apologised for its lateness, which was unavoidable. The revenue for the year ended Juno 60 was £18,803,873, which was £1,962,231 above the estimate for last year. The chief items were:—Customs and excise £2,980,443 (£2 IBs 9|d per head), £1,289,443 in excess of the estimate, and £1,387,278 above hist year. The land tax yielded £1.370,357. The estimate was £1,000,000. He hoped to be able to estimate it better next year, when ho would have something to go upon. The expenditure, not including sums advanced from the Trust Fund for revenue purposes and the payment of the surplus •revenue to the States, was £11,326,311, and tho year practically closed with a surplus of £1,829,524, which would he transferred to the funds for the licet and old ago pensions in equal proportions. The Budget payments to tho States absorbed £5,196,421, and it had been decided to spend £1,712,679 on nonrecurring works, which arc _ usually paid out of loan money. The estimate of revenue for the current year is £19,515,000. The chief items are: Customs and excise, £13,000,000; postal, £3,870,000; coinage, £210,000. The estimated expenditure is the same as tho revenue.