MEETING OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3406, 16 June 1868, Page 3

MEETING OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

The most important portion of the address (says the Times) delivered befoie the Provincial Council on its opening on June 2nd, are those which relate to the failing revenues of the province, owing to the general depression of the times, and to the difficulty of the situation on account of the unsettled state of relations, financial or otherwise, which eziit between the General Government and those of the several provinces. It is conceived that changes of an important character are immiaeut iv the nature of these relations, and that, pending these changes, it would be unwise to introduce schemes of taxation, or otherwise disturb existing arrangements, unlil the action of the General Assembly is known. By the last General Assembly it was decided that one-half of the consolidated revenue should be retained by the provinces instead of ths three-eighths which they had up to that time retained for Provincial Government purposes ; but as » counterpoise to such liberality the Provincial Governments were to defray the costs' of local departments of the General Government, such as hospitals, gaols, harbours, and police. It has been found, however, practically unworkable, as the cobt of those depattmental services has amounted to a larger sum than the half of the consolidated revenues which should provide for them, and the deficiency is constantly becoming greater — so much so that probably not one of the provinces would be able to hold out against the difficulty. It is now proposed by some that the General Government should take over all the consolidated revenues, and provide for its own departments throughout the colony, leaving the provinces to raise in their own way the revenues necessary for the provincial service— in other words, that the revenues should be expended by the power that leviei them. Some such scheme will, almost without doubt, be brought into operation ; and it behoves thepsopleto be prepared for such a change. There are, doubt 'ess, difficulties to be surmounted, and the unpleasant principle of local taxation will be brought to bear forcibly upon the community. But it is quite posnble that tbe total of fiscal burden borne by each individual of the community may b« made lighter by the proposed changes. A vast reductiou in the staff of provincial officials will be made, aud though some of them will merely change masters — for tbe local departments of the General Government (harbours, gaol, police, &c.) must be maintained by one 01 the other Government — the tbrowiug of the Provincial Governments upou their own resources will necessitate a greater exercise of economy than has ever yet obtained. A more pleasing feature of his Honor's address relates to the marked progress made in tbe province during tbe past three years, as shown by the census retui'ds of ihe General Government, — the fenced lunds having nearly quadrupled, the lauds in English grasses increased by nearly 50 per cent., tbe population by 37 per cent., the buildings i»y 50 per cent., »fed about the fame ratio tor the increase of horses a«d sbtep ; and all thil notwithstanding large exports o! she*}', and during a period of Almost unexampled CQmmeiolttl depression. The address indicates but little of the intentions of the Government du> ing the present session. A fresh appropriation of tbe unexpeuded balance of the loan to be made ; in what direccion we cannot venture to assume, 'i liis, together with the parsing of the estimates for tha current year, and tbe imposition of an education rate, is probably all that the Government wisli to accomplish prior to the meeting of the General Assembly.