THE BUDGET.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8362, 28 July 1920, Page 3

THE BUDGET.

PROPOSALS FOR THE YEAR. TWENTY-FOUR MILLION LOAN. The policy of the Government, as enunciated in the Budget delivered in the House last night, is summed up in the following proposals:— War-loan subscribers to be given option of converting debentures into inscribed stock. Estimated Customs revenue, £6,000,000. System of hospital subsidies to be revised. Maternity homes to be increased. More nurses for country districts. Telephone facilities in country districts to be extended. Trial aerial mail services to be inaugurated. Closer settlement of fertile lands to be promoted. £5,000,000 additional for advances for discharged soldiers. £2,500,000 additional for purchase of land for settlements [(soldiers). . Extension of operations of swampland drainage. Further provision for reafforestation and planting of sand-dunes. Legislation in regard to pure seeds and noxious weeds to be introduced. Establishment of— Agricultural College in North Island. Boys’ Agricultural Clubs. State Farm in South Island. Wheat-growing to be encouraged. Wool profits to 31st March, 1919, £1,620,000, to be distributed. .£600,000 provided for acquisition and development of New Zealand interests in Nauru and Ocean Islands. £200,000 to be prox'ided for naval defence. Assistance to ipining industry. Housing—£l,ooo,ooo to be provided. Supplies of building material to be regulated. Building operations to be restricted to facilitate erection of homes. Limit for each house to be increased, and local bodies to be enabled to purchase land as well as build houses. Measures limiting profits to be strengthened. Additional assistance to pensioners. Military and miner pensioners to be allowed to draw pensions notwithstanding temporary absence from the Dominion. Pensions Appeal Board to be established. Provision for speeding up completion of important railways. Light railways to be constructed. Tyre tax to be imposed and utilised for upkeep of main roads. Additional amount of £3,650,000 to be provided for public works and hydro-electric schemes. Further assistance to immigration, and Department to he reorganised. Increased expenditure to be provided for education services. Welfare of children to be further provided for by creation of bureau of infant welfare.

Extended programme for school buildings.

Development of trade with Samoa and islands of the Pacific. High Commissioner’s Office to be strengthened.

Wages and salaries of Government' servants brought into line xvith cost of living. Principle of non-political control of Public Service to be extended. Finance Committee to Consider bills dealing with adjustment of taxation, including stamp and death duties, Land and Income Tax, etc. Surplus to be utilised for assisting Consolidated Fund. Loan certificates for small amounts to be available to the public. Total to be provided by loans, including £10,000,000 for renewals, £24,800,000. Authority, to he provided for compulsory levy for certain loans. Legislation relating to banking to be introduced. Register for Neva Zealand Consolidated Stock, 1877, domiciled in London, to be opened in New Zealand. Shipping and mail services to bo improved. Westport Harbor to be taken ox r er by Government. Scientific research to be encouraged. Town-planning proposals. Estimated revenue, £27,712,700: es-. timated expenditure, £26,893,497. Economies to be effected in administration of all State activities. POINTS OF THE BUDGET. The Amusements tax brought in £68,326, an increase of £28,036. Bank-note tax produced £212,626, an increase of £24,623. * * • Income tax increased by £150,429, the respective figures being £6,369,765 and £6,219,336. This is the first time in the history of the Dominion that the revenues of Customs and Excise have exceeded £5,000,000. ' Land tax compared with the previous year shows an increase of £45,210, the figures being £1,557,903 and £1,512,693 respectively. The totalisator tax shoxved an increase of £184,380, the figures for last year and the previous year being—£4l3,6s3 and £229,273. A vigorous policy of agricultural instruction is being followed, and proposals involving the establishment of an agricultural college in the North Island, boys’ agricultural clubs, and at least one State farm in the South Island are now under consideration. The estimated revenue from Customs duties in the current year is £6,000,000, Excise beer duty £300,000, bonded warehouse duty, timber export duty, and other receipts £7000; total, £0,367,000. During the financial year 1735 films, containing 3,791,230 ft., have been examined by the Censor of Films. Of these twelve were rejected, and cuts were made in 143. The receipts amounted to £1269, which sum was in excess of the expenditure. * * • With respect to the question of sub-

sidies to Hospital Boards the Government' is satisfied the present system presents anomalies. Legislation will therefore be introduced for the purpose" of placing subsidies on a more satisfactory footing. In order to provide reasonable assistance to Hospital Boards it will be necessary this year to substantially increase the permanent appropriations.

Wliat I have said with regard to the necessity for prudence and economy in the administration of the State applies equally to private finance and the possibility of over-speculation. In times of high prices people are credulous, and new schemes for the employment of capital are held out to subscribers in the hope of immense gain; but, as I have pointed out, our prosperity must of necessity largely depend upon a greater quantity of production and increased individual effort.