8.—6

VIII

Tlie money-order and postal-note business shows a slight decrease, the total issues for the year amounting to £4,120,626, and the amount paid out to £3,762,677. Postages still form more than half of the total revenue of the Department, the other principal items being telegrams and telephone-exchange receipts. The sales of war-loan certificates by the Post Office have now reached the large sum of £3,922,219, and in addition to this a considerable proportion of the money subscribed by the general public to the war loans has come in through the agency of this Department. Full details of the Department's finances and particulars of its many other activities outside the scope of this Budget will be found in the annual report. STAMP DEPARTMENT. The revenue for the year shows the substantial increase over that of 1916-17 of £192,979, the gross revenue received nearly reaching two millions £1,902,577. Death duties have again shown a large increase as against the previous year, the revenue from this source being £800,000. I expect that the current year's revenue from death duties will reach approximately £1,000,000. Totalizator. There is a small falliug-off in this item, caused, no doubt, by the reduction of the days of racing by something like one-third. Nevertheless, the amount put through the machine has, in proportion, more than held its own with that of former years, taking into account the reduced number of racing-days, the revenue received being £213,932, as against £257,436 for 1916-17. Bank-note Tax. There is again—due principally to war conditions —a large increase of the tax for this year, which amounted to £167,914. The revenue received from this source is £42,000 greater than that received for 1916-17. Amusement-tax. This tax came into operation on the Ist November, 1917, therefore the amount received is only for five months—£l6,273. LAND REVENUE. The gross revenue received from Crown and endowment lands during the year amounted to £1,213,892. The ordinary arrears of rental and other payments at the 31st March, 1918, amounted to £26,842, whilst rental postponements current at that date represented a total of £26,091. LAND FOR SOLDIERS. Satisfactory progress is being made with the settlement of discharged soldiers on the land, and members of the Expeditionary Force are taking advantage of the facilities afforded them for acquiring holdings. Eighteen settlements were purchased from private owners during the year ended 31st March, 1918. Of these, thirteen have been subdivided and opened for selection. Other suitable lands, both Crown and settlement, have also been made available for selection. The total area formally proclaimed under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, up to the 31st March, 1918, was 394,219 acres. A considerable number of discharged men are availing themselves of the benefits provided by sections 2 and 3 of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1917. The licenses over a number of large pastoral runs in the South Island have expired and have not been renewed. These runs are suitable for subdivision, and in order that soldiers now on active service may be afforded an opportunity of securing land the runs have been temporarily let, and it is proposed that they shall be subsequently subdivided and offered for permanent settlement. It is anticipated that the scheme for settling discharged soldiers will be quite successful notwithstanding the fact that great initial difficulties will have to be encountered owing to the prevailing high prices for fencing , and building material.