THE FORTHCOMING ASSEMBLY.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 12, 25 March 1867, Page 67

THE FORTHCOMING ASSEMBLY.

... , j;' (bytteltonTimes.) \ The sesiipn of the general -Assembly will have -to solve one ef; the most interesting and. difficult financial questions which < can. arise in New Zealand-;; the question, namely, of a satisfactory-- settlement of accounts, between ,General government and the .provinces.-;. The latter are. -deeply |ndep^ a tt>j£ie former,and, by a of; finance of the most tempo;<^UdSP^ e ' r or b^hyousj ii tibja ; deb| |wsj been allqwed fo HS»4i

the Governirieiits rind the pro 1 - ■ffSce&fpr are so arrritf^d'/that I: in';many cases ’the debt cad creased by thb end of the year., We cannot hope' that the colony can afforii to forgive these debts! .Indeed,plain warning bas beeh given that they will be demanded In a peremptory way; and for the best of all reasons—because the mohejr due will be wanted. Unless the Customs revenue should expand surprisingly, and the stamp duties become productive beyond all-ima-gination, the General Government cannot have, in July next; any sniplus to make presents with to the provinces. It is only reasonable to anticipate the contrary. The colony has Md : to tahe on itself the whole scheme s of the Waikato Settlement since the last estimates were drawn in addition to the special charges 1 of the Military Settlers there, whose .claims are of the most expensive character. The burden, rif this charge wholly overcame the-pro-vince of Auckland; and it will be fortunate if, with all the haste that -can be made 1 to sell the lands, the cost of the Waikato settlement “ does -not strain the resources 1 of the colony to the very utmost for a year or two longer. -t

. Looking at the probability that the General Government .cannot be in ,a position to offer to the-provinces for another year more than the conventional three-eighths of the Customs revenue, and will have to demand out of that the repayment of their, .accumulated debts, the future of .sonae of the provinces becomes matter for great apprehension* Last session there were those among the representatives who went any lengths to secure even temporarily, a supply of money to their own Provincial Governments. The imposition of Stamp Duties is a direct consequence qf the determination to ; have the “three-eighths” at any price. Auckland, it was averred, could not existvvithojit the concession; Wellington -depended entirely upon -it; and - Southland’s revenues are pledged for its debts, joined in the same demand for. the support of its departmental-Go-vernment. Other provinces were more or less in the same category ,; and it was only Canterbury and Otago, whose land revenue gave them somethingfto fall back upon, who- were, willing .to sacrifice a portionof the Customs revenue rather than put an additional tax upon the people. The tax is imposed: the Customs tariff has. been increased; hut the northern provinces,are stilljn the same condition, and worse.; r The accommodation obtained; last year is exhausted; and what will they do now for money ? ;

The question is not solely a financial one. It also si me political considerations of the|highest importance. But it is enough at present to consider the most conspicuous points, —the most evident and the most irri- • table among the symptoms of provincial disorder. The money difficulty will certainly be at the top of all. It will be suggested by many who have watched public affairs.of late that the best way out of the difficulty will be toabolish the needy Provinces, and totake: the whole administration of their affairs into the hands of the General Government. On this suggestion we must remark, first, that the actual expense of Government will not be lightened thereby. The consequences of past [Provincial mistakes and extravagance cannpt be avoided, even if the change were for the future to introduce greater prudence and economy into the administration; of Provincial affairs. And secqpdly, the proposal involves a great constitutional change such" as can hardly be dealt with in a single session, and; without an appeal to the Further, we in this part of the colony have to remember that the absorption of Provincial functions into the General Government will hot be done partially and in isolated cases, but that Canterbury and Otago must expect treatment. Are. we prepared to hand bver 'the > management of all.our concerns to the central-Government after .next session? - T W.e fancy that the most rash of politicians would not „advise tEe|si:ep. , But^so;* we must'be m:''How: wd tailc about doing-the same; . *'.•* ,’v.'v u:. ;>*•. SU'i • . ...

much more readily to of ,Y^;^e: : inust: t lcK)k it straight in the are short -of money shall supply their \sntt J^^l^yM"iaio4 fund, t ready (■;; and! rSout^ern"! 5 . need !hawlj[^J ! !he r; reminded \ hpfr i ‘^Torth,I’‘if 1 ’ ‘if driven fo de|per!atiQn,“. r wdul,d .hrifat it cpiiid, the, siirrouncl ourV land’ ,"y ;; ~ ; For; the present New:, Zealand .ngeds.good,’ financial rathiei*’ .than. apolitical : change.; ; Firmngss, .foresight and, vigor in the, Treausury ? are- worth ten times <over (any specujac.tiyoc statesmanship... It seems; to,us, indeedi that it would be well, lpoking c iopking to the state of the money, maj| -ket In England to sacrifice a., whole .year of r mere legislation,for the,sake of • holding an. immediate -session-,* of the . Assembly,-:and - af-once, giving ppw;er. f: t.o:the Grovemmet to consolidate the yaripus loans, of the colony,and provinces '; by such a negotiation ,as : is now possi--ble.Be this ; as it,may, we must haye

representatives . who. are. tried men, : practical rather th an theorizing , keen ; enough. to see and, guard, the, , specialinterests of our own community; liberal,,enough tp cast aside prejudice in t forming- a natural aUiauce , yvith, the neighboring provinces; and above all; deeply and sincerely interested in re- : twining fori Canterbury tlie- administra tion and revenue of its lands.'