NOTES.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 14728, 5 August 1921, Page 4

NOTES.

In his Budget speech. Sir Henry Drayton, the Canadian Minister of Finance, said the income for the last fiscal year was 432 million dollars, as against 340 millions for the previous year. This exceeded the ordinary expenses of the country by 69 millions. In addition, there were railway* outlays of 113 millions. No. fresh borrowings occurred during the year, but by reason of the railway obligations the cash resources from the previous year were used to the extent of 101 millions, and by this amount the net debt, now standing at 2350 millions, was increased. The total to be raised from revenue this year is put at 435 millions, the total required for railways being 165 millions. A tentative estimate of this year’s revenues on the basis of exr isting taxation, was made at the low figure of 372 millions, and provision has been made for- additions to it.

“The food situation in Petrograd is catastrophic,” said a Russian who has just arrived at Riga from that city. “We have had many black days, but never- was the situation of Petrograd more desperate. - The bread rations are cut to one-eighth of a pound. Free trade is of iittle help,

for the peasants in North Russia are starving, and can spare extremely little, and even that when it reaches the Petrograd markets is. sold at prices which seem inaccessible, even to speculators in or out of office. Everything now depends upon. the ability of the Government to move the scanty food supplies and import food from abroad. The initiative and the enterpi’ise of the middle class is fast reviving, and hundreds attempt to open shops and cafes. The most flourishing business, however, is falsification by dealers in foodstuffs, leading to violent scenes in the market places, where the infuriated workers bring to reason speculators concerned in these frauds. The four months till the next harvest will surely be the most trying period since the revolution.”