NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIII, 26 May 1922, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

OUR FINANCES. ANNUAL STATEMENT. Per Press Association —Copyright. WELLINGTON, May 25. A statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Consolidated Fund for the year ended March 31 last, is published in to-night's “Gazette.” It shows a falling off in the ordinary revenue of £6,193,000. The principal decreases are. . Customs £3,313,000. Income tax £2,46,000. Stamp duties £300,000. Railways £235,000. Land tax £51,000. Post and Telegraph revenue shows an increase of £lOB,OOO and beer duty £98,000. The balance at the beginning of the last year was £8,591,208, as against a balance of £17,538,976 for the previous year, while the total receipts for the year were £38,361,451 as' compared with £54,249,938 for 1920-21. On the expenditure side permanent appropriations show an increase of £639,000, mainly under the heading Interest and Sinking Fund subsidies to Local Bodies, etc., which show increases, some £10,00(1 and £70,00C respectively, but annual appropriations show a decrease of £241,000. The balance at the beginning of the current financial year (1922-23) was £7,531,366, as against £8,591,208 at the beginning of 1921-22.

NEW AWARD WANTED. EMPLOYERS’ APPLICATION. AUCKLAND, May 25. The Arbitration Court heard an application by the employers for a newt waterside award. Mr Roberts, for the Union, said that in some cases the waterside workers’ dispute had not been referred to the Conciliation Council, and if an award were made by the Court and applied to these districts some people might question its legality.

Mr Justice Frazer suggested that the parties should file a formal dispute with the Conciliation Court and apply to have the dispute referred to the Arbitration Court. Mr Roberts said it was understood that the award would apply to the whole Dominion, but he heard a different opinion expressed by some employers.

His Honour replied that they could overcome the difficulty by the Court filing a copy of the award in each district. Then they would make it a Dominion award.