Cost Australia
p. 70 · Read in the full issue
What The Territories
of the leading Australian news ” papers has been publishing some interesting figures dealing with the fin ances of the Australian Commonwealth Government. Among other things it is pointed out that the Commonwealth spends annually a huge sum upon its various territories and the following table shows the expenditure:
Territories—
On these figures it would appear that the Australian taxpayer maintains some rather expensive luxuries in the way of tropical territories. The way in which money has been poured into the Northern Territory is astonishing. Is Norfolk Island worth £4,000 per annum to Australia?
Mr. J. J. Wolf, of Wellington, who is an official of the New Zealand Audit Department, arrived at Niue Island with his wife by the Maui Pomare at the end of August to make the annual audit of the island’s finances.
1929-30 1932-33 1036-7 1937-8 £ £ £ £ Fed. Capital 315 290 590,827 871,556 1.132,090 Northern 138,925 145,013 343.402 454,370 Papua „ 49,853 52.136 55,821 48,810 New Guinea ... 12,911 2,740 13,431 3,651 Norfolk Is. 4,000 3.500 4,409 4.0SO Total 520,979 794,216 1,288,709 1,643,00'