SATISFACTORY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19505, 5 February 1926, Page 7

SATISFACTORY

DOMINION FINANCE ACCOUNTS FOR NINE MONTHS INCREASED REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE [Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, Feb. 4. In a summary of the Public Account® which was gazetted to-night the. Treasury says the finances of the country as disclosed in the accounts gazetted for the nine months ended December 31 last show a satisfactory position. In comparing it with the similar period of last year allowances must be made in connection with the separation of the railways revenue and expenditure from the ordinary revenue. The accounts arc not yet finally completed. Eliminating for the purpose of comparison the railway revenue, which is being transferred to a separate account, the total revenue collected for the nine months amounted to £14,806,362. For tho same period last year the amount was £13,506,548, there being thus an increase of £1,299,814. The principal increases are: Customs £663,942, Post and Telegraph £232,129, interest on public moneys £234,693, interest on railway capital liability £350,000. The increase in interest on public moneys is clue to payments on account of the discharged soldiers’ settlement account being made this year in two half-yearly sums instead of one payment late last year, w'hile intern, t on. railway capital liability is not comparable for the reasons given above.

Again eliminating the railway figures for the purpose of forming a comparison, the total net expenditure from ordinary revenue account for the nine months was £16,654,884, as compared with £16,052,679 for the same period last year, an increase of £602,205. In permanent charges under special Acts there is an increase of £174,671, already due to additions to old age and w’idows* pensions.

Under departmental expenditure th< principal increases are: Defence £43,011. pensions £52,722, mental hospital! £20,616, health £28,431, internal affairs £29,841, naval defence £32,175, electoral £76,698, agriculture £38,427, education £48,639.