XVII

8.—6.

ESTIMATED Expenditure of the Consolidated Fund (Revenue Account) for 1902-3, compared with Actual Expenditure of 1901-2.

Revenue . I anticipate a revenue for the year ending 31st March next of £6,026,000, to which has to be added proceeds of debentures authorised to be raised by "The Consolidated Stock Act, 1884," amounting to £57,500, issued against the accretions of sinking fund. These figures will give total receipts amounting to £6,083,500, and, compared with similar receipts last year amounting to £6,110,070, are not unsatisfactory. I have placed the Customs duties at £2,220,000, which will be nearly £19,000 in excess of last year's revenue. The trade of the colony is keeping up well, and it must not be lost sight of that the value of crossbred wool has appreciably increased, and that the prices of dairy and agricultural produce are exceptionally good and likely to continue so. Although I have thought it well to keep the estimated revenue from stamps (£898,000) some .£lO,OOO below the amount which was received last year, I shall be disappointed if it does not reach the previous figures, £908,000. Land-tax and income I have set down at £300,000 and £185,000, and as I refer to them in a separate paragraph I will pass on to other heads. Beer duty, £92,000, I estimate at nearly £2,000 more than last year's receipts. For our working-railways revenue I have set down £1,875,000, as against £1,869,500 received last year, and for which I estimated £1,760,000. lam quite satisfied that we shall reach the figures I have set down, notwithstanding the liberal concessions already made, and further reductions to which I shall refer later on. Registration and other fees I estimate at £70,000, as against £76,000 received, arising from a smaller amount of valuation fees being recoverable from the Land-tax Department. Marine, £31,000, is substantially the same as the receipts of last year. iii—B. 6.

Estimate ! Actual Differences. lor lor ; 1902-8. 1901-2. T Increase. Decrease. Differences. Revenue Account. £ £ £ £ 33,100 32,258 ! 842 1,893,194 1,803,939 ; 89,255 587,933 561,472 j 26,461 Civil List Interest and Sinking Fund Under special Acts 2,514,227 2,397,669 116,558 Annual Appropriations,— Legislative Departments Colonial Secretary's Department Colonial Treasurer's Department Justice Department Postal and Telegraph Department Customs and Marine Department Stamps and Deeds Department Education Department Lunacy and Charitable Department Department of Labour Mines Department Department of Agriculture Working Railways Department Public and School Buildings and Domains Defence Department Police Department Lands and Survey Department Valuation Department Rates on Crown lands 21,105 22,382 156,291 229,717 42,554 41,537 131,823 131,457 477,775 463,817 86,179 89,405 26,948 27,106 529,976 502,873 67,554 65,343 9,585 9,933 19,481 21,159 89,383 101,285 1,300,000 1,280,772 47,900 47,852 189,232 193,184 j 123.867 120,932 j 125.868 120,180 26,415 25,407 900 418 1,017 366 13,958 27,103 2,211 19^228 48 2,935 5,688 1,008 482 1,277 73,426 3,226 158 348 1,678 11,902 3,952 Services not provided for 3,472,836 3,494,759 74,044 95,967 3,486 3,486 Total 190,602 99,453 99,453 ■ 5,987,063 5,895,914 91,149