EXPENDITURE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND IN 1842. Published in Mr. Shortland's Blue Book.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume I, Issue 31, 18 November 1843, Page 2

EXPENDITURE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND IN 1842. Published in Mr. Shortland's Blue Book.

If Telemachus the son of Ulysses, were again to. travel through this earth in search of wisdom, and in order to discover a model of a Government? after which to fashion that of his native Ithaca, his Mentor would undoubtedly reoammeiid him to visit the Court of Mr. Shortland, and he would as certainly endeavour to impress upon his young mind many valuable precepts and lessons illustrated, by their practical effects in the Gov ■ emmeni n£ Noxr Zoaland. Tho art of Ooverning has been brought to a perfection in this colony, wliich it has never attained to in any other age or country. The Blue Book of Mr. Shortlands Revenue and Expeiidi&ure for the year 1842, is perhaps the most extraordinary produotion that has ever emanated from a Governor, or even from the Press, although many wonderful productions have in their day been issued by^ the latter. But there is no exaggeration in the statement, that this book beats all of the same kind that ever went before it. li> is the paragon of books, as much as Mr. Shortlaud himself is the paragon of Governors ; and ought for the benefit of all posterity, to be entered at every Government hall in the universe. How Mr. Shortland could have contrived at so little expence, to manage the affairs of this colony, must be matter of astonishment even to the economical Lord Stanley. About 10,000 Europeans have been actually kept in order during twelve months for the small sum of £73,018 13s. 3|d., and a balance of £6,808- 11s. llfd. still remains in the Treasury ; the balance however, is not real, but an " apparent" balance, is just aa good, if not better, inasmuch as our worthy Mend the Treasurer will have less responsibility and leas trouble in taking care of it. It is well to have a balance in any shape ; it would oever do to let the Treasury run dry. As the money thus expended has been partly extorted from the people of this colony» and partly borrowed from the Home Government, it may not be out of place to compare the amount collected from the people with that actually expended for the benefit of the colony. The sources of Mr. Shortlands revenue are the following :—: —

It, will appear by and bye how much of this amount has been expended for the benefit of the people from whom more than the half of it has been raised. Those who think that we have no right to find fault with the extravagance of this Government, would do well to look at the above sources of revenue. Were the money indeed, all received from England, it might be a matter of comparative indifference how it was laid out, but it is rather hard that we should be taxed at the rate of upwards £3 10s. a head, and that we should not have a single voice in the management of the revenue raised from our industry. But if the taxation be thus high, the expenditure is still higher. Supposing the European population to have been during the whole ol 1832 about 12,000, the rate per head would be about £QU. 7d. In Bombay, we are informed by a friend who has resided long in that presidency, that the Government of the people of that country only costs 7s. sd. j per head ; but we are much better, and more ! worthy of consideration than they ; and] England does, and should spend more money upon us, she could not treat us, her own children, like these Hindoos. But she likes us better than any of her children, as we can easily show by referring to the pin-money of the inhabitants of any of the other colonies. On Lower Canada she only bestows 4s. lid. per head, and the inhabitants of St. Kitts, who are about 15,000, cost per h.ead not more than 4s. 3d., and the poor wretches in Swan River, or Western Australia are content with the miserable pittance of Is. Bd. The people of New South Wales alone, approach to us in the kind regard and esteem of our beloved Sovereign on her loyal subjects in that colony, whom she has in her clemency permitted to leave their native land for their country's good ; she some years ago spent about £3 17s. 7d., it is now much less. But the greater portion of that money was spent in erecting safe and proper houses or jail 3 for their accommodation ; and we have cost her nothing in that respect. Out of her love she, or rather her agent, Mr. Shortland, (long life to him!) has spent about £6 a year on account of each of us. But y unhappily, like the balance of £6,808 11s. ll'f d.,it is only an "apparent" expenditure. Her Majesty has been cheated in her good intentions towards us — not a shilling of her money have we got ; the sly rogues have certainly taken it from her, but they have kept it all themselves ; they have played us a regular Irish trick ; and we are determined to make it known to.her Majesty. Mr. Shortland has very ingeniously com- | piled his Blue Booh, so ingeniously, that it would be at first sight rather a difficult matter to discover how the money had been applied; but by placing the various items under their proper and natural heads, we have been enabled to arrive at something like an accurate idea of the state of things. In our statement, our readers will find that the matter is very much simplified. We have only three heads of Expenditure : — Ist. The Governor and his establishment. 2nd. The Governor's friends and establishments. 3rd. The people. Under one or other of these heads our readers will find that overy item in the Blue Book can be properly,, naturally, and legitimately inserted. This may be a new system of Book-keeping, but we pledge ourselves that it will be found much more accurate, and much more intelligible than any of those formerly in use in this colony ; and it has the very great i advantage of being easily comprehended, i A man of ordinary apprehension can at one glance see how the affairs of the colony stand. We shall commence with the account of the colony against his Excellency the Governor for 1842 :—

It is much to be hoped that his Excellency Mr. Shortland, will leave the public service before he puts the colony to the expense of furnishing him with the last item in the above list. If we were to calculate expence by size, his coffin would cost at least double that of the late Governor. We need scarcely offer any remarks upon the above monstrous establishment ; it speaks volumes for itself. Perhaps it may be said that the charges for Chaplain and Tutor ought not to appear in the of the Governor. But as nothing else is expended on Religion .or Education in this colony, it would be a mockery to charge them against the people. They are at all events inconsiderable items ; and are only worthy of notice, as showing how much has been done by this Government for the education and moral improvement of the people : £15 for Schools! ! and £9,000 for repairing his Excellency's house and kitchen, look well side by side. But we refrain from making unnecessary comments. We now • come to the expenses incurred on account ! of his Excellency's friends :—: —

When these two accounts are added together, our readers will perceive that there is not much left to be charged to the account of the people ; and those who are acquainted with the state of the town and country, will scarcely be able to perceive how even the following small sum has been expended : —

This is all that has been really spent for the benefit of the colony > and even this small sum would not have been- expended but for the fact that Mr. Shortland was obliged to employ the emigrants for some weeks after their arrival, and as it is the money has been very injudiciously laid out. By means of the excavations in Shortland Crescent, private individuals have been made to sustain a large amount of damage. It is in truth wonderful how Mr. Shortland has contrived to spend upon himself and his

colleagues upwards of £70,000 in one year, and still avoid not laying out more than £500 for the benefit, of the colony. In no other British colony does tho money expended on public improvements bear such a small proportion to that which the officers of Government receive. Let us take one of them by chance. Upper Canada for in. stance, with a population of 410,000 souls, in the year 1836. The whole civil Govern, ment including Governor, Judges, Sheriffs, &c, amounted to £22,098 ; In New Zealand, j with a population of 12,000, the civil Gov-j ernment costs upwards of £70,000. la Upper Canada £10,615 are devoted to the establishment of Schools ; in New Zealand £15 M are deemed sufficient. The Clergj receive annually £12,317 in Upper Canada; in New Zealand they receive £238. On public works, roads, bridges, and canals, the Government of Upper Canada laid out £111,063. — For a similar purpose, the Government of New Zealand spends about £500. The people of this colony are taxed about £40,000, and out of that enormous sum £500 only are devoted to local improvements'. The rest might as well be thrown into the sea, for any real benefit derived by the colony from it. The town's people are without streets, wharfs, or any landing place whatever; and the country settler:! are completely destitute of roads. j The expenditure of this Government L gross and animal; there is not a single! redeeming point about it. It is all for meat, I drink, salaries, and houses. ' The roads, tk I streets, are unmade, the people are left • without the means of instruction or religion, and yet they are taxed about £6 per head/ while the Upper Canadians only pay at the ■ ,rate of ss. lOd. But the Upper Canadian.' I have a Representative Government, and wl in New Zealand live under the irresponsible and despotic sway of a Governor and a Stan Chamber, or Executive Council. L Attached to the Blue Book ''there are | several explanatory statements. In looking ( over them, we find for every department § various sums under the name of " store; \ supplied," which altogether amount to about ; £4,000. We find for instance £320 worthl of stores supplied to the Colonial Secretary's \ Office ; is this sum for pens, ink and paper, ! or what? The Harbour Master has also £112 ? worth of this necessary article, and the SheriS \ has £65 4s. 6d., — what is that for ? — Evec;' the Government House must have its stores, i and that to a considerable amount, £940 % The Domain has also its " stores supplied,' \ £150, and the Colonial Store has its store- j likewise, £65 6s. Bd. The Protector off; Aborigines must have stores, £102 7s. HdT and even the Parson has his small stores, j. 125., perhaps it was a Bible or Prayer Boolf But at all events it appears pretty evideffj s that this is a convenient term to admit undeitf it any species of expenditure whatever. Per haps it is the same as the secret service c money at Home. Among the miscellaneous items we find a payment made to Uriah Hur'ij of Wellington for the board and lodging o ; his Excellency during 18 days, £127 7s I about £7 a day, this is fair living in a newf colony. In the department of the Protecto^; of Aborigines we find a charge of £33 os. U\% for native attendance upon Mr. Edwanif^ Shortland, the brother of the Governor, prof; bably these natives were employed in coe| 5 veying his pigs and potatoes to Aucklan.j'J in the Government Pinnace. We find akj-J a charge of £11 12s. 3£d. for victualling thfj same gentleman on board the Victoria, whilp on an official visit to Tariah. Did his Es £ cellency Mr. Willoughby Shortland, estA, nothing during this official visit, for he w^ the chief Ambassador ? Perhaps he is to ~<| modest to make a charge on this score. B[j| will doubtless charge himself with it und^jf the convenient head of "stores supplied (Jj It was our intention to analyse the stated ment of the advances from the Government of New South Wales, but we must for th'l present leave our readers to do this for thefl{ J selves. They will find that the greater papjf of the debt has been contracted in pas'sag&fg aboard ships, in eating, drinking, &c. p It is melancholy to think upon the manual in which the revenues of this colony hav|l been expended ; neither the colony nor ti-'jjj Government Officers thjemselves, have jwm fited by it. Like the gambler's profits, 'p was money easily got and easily lost. Wi^ the single exception of Mr. Shortland h^ | self, we scarcely know one of the Govert | ment Officers who is at the present mome^ in better circumstances than when he a* I rived in the colony. The ill-gotten g#'a seems to have made a hole for itself thrWl the pockets of the whole of them ; and tf| question much, when the day of reckoni»!| arrives, if even Mr. Shortland himself I have much to carry out of the colony. Short | land's fate will be that of the Fabii : — | "Una dies Fabios ad bellum miserat omnes, 1 Ad bellum missos perdidit una dies." I I Shortland destroyed a Colony in a day, | I And a day mil Shortland himself destroy. |

1. Collected from the People, Ordinary Revenue*: datiea,taxes,&c. 418,864 8 2 Sales of Crown Lands 14,832 8 9£ Sales of Old Stores, Cattle, Horses, &c., Rent, &c 2,351 7 8 Balance on the Ist January, 1842, 4,375 14 9£ .£40,423 19 H 2. Borrowed from England and Neio South Wales, Treasury Bills on England £ 13,494 7 8 Balance of Advances by N.S.Wales 9,179 2 4 Ba T ance of Stores received from N. S. Wales 4,312 15 6£ Advances in England on account of iWniigration 5,603 8 4 13 IQh

Ike Friends of tm Governor and their Establishments Dr. To the Colony, To Colonial Secretary and his heps £2,267 2 7£ His Excellency's purse keeper or Treasurer' 1,479 18 5 Auditors or gentlemen whose business it is to Bee that his Excellency spends enough 533 0 2 Fax Gatherers or Customs 3,490 17 1 Court of Inquisition or Land Claims Commissioners 3,298 9 2 Registrar of Deeds 344 H 8 Post Office 759 5 10 Colonial Store 623 5 8 Chief Justice, Livr Officers, and Sheiiff 3 788 0 4$ Police Magistrate and traps '. 4,688 5 2 Money paid to Natives for Land .. 2,231 8 2 Protectors of Aborigines 1,550 3 11£ Surveyors 8,134 10 2§ [mmigration 7,411 9 9£ Money given to Messrs. Haile and Brydon 10 0 0 Ccsi of Binding and Printing Deeds 20 5 0 Advance to Officers on account of the Public Service 4,267 0 0 Do. do. on account of Salary 83 3 4 [lent of House used as temporary offices 75 0 0 Furniture for several Govt. offices 43 16 0 3ifts to Natives on account of the burning of Government offices.. .. 0 16 8 Arrears of previous year and expences defrayed by Colonial Agent General in England 1,916 16 8 Balance on 31st December, 1810, 6.808 11 llf £-53,826 0 3i

The People Dr. To the Colony, i ro Excavating and levelling Shortland Crescent £305 15 11 Do. do. Jermya- 5treet .......... 31 10 0 Repairs to road in Short land Crescent 22 10 10 Ligar Canal 48 12 6 Draining a Swamp 69 12 0 _ , i Salaries to Messrs. Haile & Figg _ while on the roads . 49 3 4 Rations to Mr. Figg 1 13 6 £528 18 1

Governor Dr. To the Colony, ToSalary,&c £1,315 15 0 Private Secretary, &c 218 16 6 Expense of Governor's Yacht or pleasure Boat (Victoria) 2,079 17 7 Feeding Excellency's friends aboard the same „.. 174 15 10 Harbour Master or gentleman who looks after tte same while in harbour 1,115 16 1 His Excellency's Medical Attendant 475 4 0^ His Excellency's Chaplain 238 2 6 • • «< Tutor 15 0 0 ii •' Chapel 500 0 0 Making writing and printing his Excellency's Speeches and Pro» clamatioDS, &c 928 1 6 Purchase of Press, &c, for the furtherance of the above object.. .. 1,425 0 0 Expense of enabling his Excellency and friends to deliver themselveß of their wisdom in the Legislative Council 591 18 5 Repairing his Excellency's House, Kitchen,Laundry,&c, — Cultivating Kitchen Garden, making private walkß, and fencing that portion of Mr.Shortland's allotments next to the Domain 9,908 18 2

George Cooper, Esq., his Excellency's special missionary to Mr. Boyd, of Sydney, for the purpose of arranging with that Gentleman to receive a deposit of .£15,0(50 public money, with 15 per cent. for so doing 75 18 0 His Excellency's Orderlies or Mounted Police 357 0 2 Hire of Boat for his Excellency at Kaipara 310 0 Coffin for His Excellency 50 0 0 Total £18,663 14 3;