AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 108, 27 October 1911, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, October 20. A number of petitions have been presented to the Assembly in favor of the early closing of liquor bars. The Minister of Works submitted a proposal for several new railways and harbor improvements.

THE FEDERAL BUDGET. NEARLY TWO MILLION'S SURPLUS. Received 27, 1 a.m. Melbourne, October 20. Mr. Fisher delivered his Budget, and apologised for iti lateness, which was unavoidable. Th.3 revenue for the year ended June 30 was £18.803,873, which was £1,902,234 above the estimate for last year. The chief items were:—Customs and excise £2,950,443 (£2 18s o%d per head), £1,289,443 in excess of the estimate, and £1,387.27S above last 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 he 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

£11,326,641, and the year practically closed with a surplus of £1.829,524.

which would be transferred to the funds for the fleet and old age pensions in equal proportians. STATE FINANCE. The Budget payments to the States absorbed £5,196,424, and it had been decided to spend £1,712,679 on non-recur-ring works, which are usually paid out of loan money. The estimate of revenue for the current year is £10,515,000. The chief items are: Customs and excise, £13,000,000; postal, £3,870.000;. coinage, £210,000. The estimated expenditure is the same as the revenue.