The Auckland Chronicle. Thursday, May 16, 1844.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 41, 16 May 1844, Page 2

The Auckland Chronicle. Thursday, May 16, 1844.

In order to afford space for the “ Imprisonment for Debt Bill," we are compelled to curtail our comments upon the Speech of his Excellency the Governor, and the proceedings of the Legislative Council; deeming it much more important to furnish our readers with official documents than any lengthened remarks of our own. We will, however, briefly observe that bis Excellency has in a straight-forward, manly speech, declared his views of the state of the Colony, and the remedies he proposes to adopt, in order to restore prosperity. We are happy to see that he is fully convinced of the necessity of abolishing Customs. On account of the presen t financial difficulties, this will of course be a work of time; the Customs Ordinance is however condemned, although a short respite is granted before i s total repeal. We refer our readers to another part of our paper for the items of expenditure for the current year, when it will be seen that a reduction of £IO,OOO is proposed as compared with last year’s expenditure, the expenses of the current year (1844) being estimated at £35,991. Is. His Excellency relies on the exertions of the Colonists with the assistance o I the Home Government to meet this demand, but if there should then be a deficiency of revenue, a further reduction of so much per cent on the salaries of all the public officers will take place, When contemplating the financial embarassment of this beautiful Colony, where with all our screwing, grinding, and pinching, we cannot make two ends meet, we are led to reflect on the spitefulness of our magnanimous Mamma, who refuses her helping hand to an infant Colony of such growing importance, while £IOO,OOO per annum is lavished on a Dowager Queen. Suppose now, this old Lady could manage with strict economy, to exist on £50,000 per annum, and the remaining £50,000 were devoted to improvements in New Zealand, how much more impartial would such a distribution be, at any rate we should be of that opinion, whatever her ladyship might think. The “ Court of Requests Bill/’ is in typ’e, but we are compelled to defer its publication until next week, for want of space/