PROVINCIAL FINANCE.

North Otago Times, Volume V, Issue 90, 9 November 1865, Page 3

PROVINCIAL FINANCE.

Last week's " Gazette" contains a Gf-eneral Balance Sheet of the Province for the half year from 1st April to 30th September last, and a Statement of {he Revenue and Expenditure in a detailed form for the same period. The total amount set down as revenue was LI 90,817 17s lOd, bat this includes a sum of L35.687 15s 9d balance on loan account in hand on the 31st March. The receipts, therefore, for the half year from April 2st to September 30th, both inclusive, were L155.130 Is Id. The sources from which it was derived were, Customs, L38.583 13s 7d ; Gold Export Duty, LI 5,215 13s 3d ; Crown Lands, L45,994 6s 7d ; Miners' Rignts and Licenses, L8295 8s j Harbor Dues, L63 9s 6d ; Jetty Dues, LH75 14 ; Sheep Assessment, L181 15s 6 ; Doa Tax, L1264 6s ; Licenses of arious descriptions, L3672 19a ; Ground and other Rents, L305 0s Id; Immigration Department, for repayment of passages, L3480 15s 9d ; Education Department, for school books, L361 13 9d; High School Fees, L437 ; Repayments to Hospital and Lunatic Asylum, L147 5s 6d : Maintenance of Debtors in the Gaol, L55 3s; Prison Labour, L2562 2s 5d ; Tolls on Roads, L6171 2s 8d ; Lithographic Maps, L67 8s 7d ; Incidental Receipts, L718 10s 2d; Incidental Receipts from the Goldfields, L718 9s 6d ; Repayments by General Government officers on the Gold Fields, L1711 5s j Surplus Revenue, L23.939 10s 3d. The total expenditure for the six months has been L12G.256 8s Id, of which L57.506 0s 4d w as paid for departmental expenses, and L600 for steam services. The remaining outlay includes grants in aid, miscellaneous payments, repayment of debentures, interest on loans, surveys of roads, railways and harbors, and expenditure on miscellaneous works and buildings. The outlay has been less than the amounts appropriated by L61.136 19s7d; the appropriations being L187.393 7s Sd. Of the appropriations of L39,000 under the Otago Public Buildings Loan Ordinance, nothing has been expended. As will be seen from the above, there lias been a very considerable saving in actual expenditure, compared with the money voted or appropriated. On an analysis of the Statement, we find the first saving of any moment occurring in the Sxirvey Department. Upwards of L500 more was appropriated than expended for laborers' wages, and an equal amount in the incidental expenses connected with that establishment. A retrenchment to the tune of about L250 has taken place in the Harbor Department. The Goldfields' Department still evidences a tendency to "overrun the constable." A saving of nearly L2000 has been effected in the management of the Gaol and District Gaols, which may be accepted as a salutary sign in one sense, but a diminished population may, in the first instance, be suspected to be the chief cause. Over L500 have been saved on the outlay for the support of District and Goldfields' Schools. In the Hospital Department the figures are somewhat anomalous. For example, it has been found necessary to expend in the six months, for " fuel and liijht," L119 13s 7d more than the sum appropriated, leading one to infer that there had been a considerable increase in the number of inmates, while there has been a saving of nearly 1L900 for attendance, rations, stores, and furniture, and medicines and medical comforts. In a like manner there has been a saving of about L350 in the Lunatic Asylum. The " miscellaneous" expenditure furnishes material for thought. The amount appropriated for the burial of paupers was L153, of which sum only L94 13s has been spent. The relief to the destitute, on the other hand, has been slightly in excess in Dunedin ; but on the Goldfields only L13 3s has been necessary out of appropriations to the extent of L250. The collection of the dog tax has been more expensive than was anticipated, but not to any great extent. Of the L12000 set apart for interest on the loan of 1862, only L165 has been paid. The Railway (!) Department is already a strangely expensive one, no less than L1500 having been spent in the six months on salaries and contingencies. A considerable saving appears in the Marine Engineer's Department. It is on " Roads," however, where the sums expended fall the greatest below the appropriations. It is doubtful whether, as in the case of " salaries and contingencies," this may be justly termed a " saving." Upwards of L18,000 of the monies appropriated have not been spent, or have been appropriated (or mis-appropriated ?) to other purposes. No portion of the L24O voted for the road from Oamaru to the Waitaki has been expended. The sum of L545 for " Oamaru to "VVanaka Lake" was appropriated, and L285 6s has been spent. This, we suppose, has been for the bridge over the "Whare Kuri, tenders for the completion of which work are now called for. On the road from Waihemo to Oamaru L487 18s lOd is put down as expended out of an appropriated sura of L2320. The L40 voted for the Breastwork at Oamaru was untouched.

The rush to Bruce Bay, which induced so many to leave their claims to follow it, has resulted in a complete failure, and entailed much suffering on those who rashly ventured their all in pursuit of a chimera. I hear that some 400 man are now retracing their steps oveiland, having thoroughly tested the country without success. The only really pny able claim discovered is that known as " Hunt's Rush." situate on the beach, and said to be turning out half-a-pound weight per day. — " Press" Correspondent.