8.—6

II

The comparative table for the two years is as follows :— 1909-10. 1908-9. Increase. Decrease. Customi 2,671,121 2,801,248 .. 130,127 Railway 3,268,268 2,918,507 339,756 Stamps (including Poet and Telegraph receipts) 1.537,352 1,591,328 .. 53.976 Land-tax.. : 642,270 604,901 37.369 Income-tax 316,835 321,044 .. 4.209 Beer duty H6.369 116,214 .. 845 Registration and other fee* 88,305 117,061 .. 28,766 Marine 42,918 43,815 .. 897 Miscellaneous 296,099 264,210 31.889 Territorial revenue • 202,587 222,857 .. ■ 20.270 Endowment revenue .. .. • ■ 67,142 .. 67,142 476,156 239.080 239,080 Totals ' •• 9,238,261 9,001,185 237,076 EXPENDITURE. I can now pass on to the results of the expenditure of the Ordinary Revenue Account of last year, and I find that as compared with my estimates the actual amount underspent was £119,777, which shows that rare in the expenditure was exercsed, and should call for recognition from impartial critics, as a Finance Minister must necessarily see that a sufficiency of funds are provided to insure the year's requirements being met. The estimated expenditure for all services was £9,110,699, and the amount actually spent £8,990,922. As the permanent appropriations exceeded the estimate by £11,612, the saving, I am pleased to say. was effected in the departmental appropriations, for which purpose £5,607,902 was voted and £5.476,513 was expended, the amount unissued being £131,389. In every class except Legislative there was a saving on the amount appropriated. Even the Railways, which had the authority by law to make use of the surplus revenue amounting to £208,263, did not require to trench upon this amount. It may also be interesting to honourable members to compare the expenditure on departmental appropriations of last year with that of the previous year. 1 rind that the amount spent in 1909-10 was less than that expended in the financial year 1908-9 by the sum of £98,970. A comparative table below will further go to show that there was a saving in eleven classes of no less than £210,223, while five classes show an increase of £111,253 ; but it may be desirable to point out that these classes comprised the Post and Telegraph (£41,226), Working Railways (£47,881), and Education (£14,712), in which the services cannot be cut down without impairing their efficiency or depriving the public of many conveniences. . 1909-10. 1908 9. Increase. Deoreaec. Legislative 28,634 29,28] .. 647 Department of Finance 73.757 96,457 .. 22,700 Post and Telegraph Departmeni .. .. ■• 855,862 814,636 41,226 Working Railways 2.168,189 2,120,308 47,881 Public Buildings, Domains, and Maintenance of Roads .. 86,729 85.596 1,133 Native Department 18,874 30,840 .. 11,966 .Justice Department 357,141 350,840 , 6,301 Mines Department 24,701 31,457 1 .. 6,753 Department of Interna! Affairs 256,466 344,566 .. 88,100 Defence Department 190,347 195,685, .. 5,338 Customs, Marino and Harbours, and Inspection of -Ma 122,782 131,321 .. 8,539 chinery Departments Department of Labour 24,212 30,277 .. 6,065 Department of Lands and Survey 205,538 232,167 .. 26,629 Department of Agriculture Commerce, and Touriste .. 189,914 219,690 .. 29.776 Education Department 862,946 848,234 14,712 Services not provided for .. .. •• •• 10.418 14,128 .. 3,710 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 5,476,513 5,575.483 111,253 210,223