The New-Zealander. AUCKLAND, MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1864. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL-FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

New Zealander, Volume XXI, Issue 2262, 31 October 1864, Page 3

The New-Zealander.

AUCKLAND, MONDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1864. PROVINCIAL COUNCIL-FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Bo jaat an*! tear not; V* oP t’ii end* tlm ai-n'st «, be thy Cauntry’i, Hiy Goo’s, and Truth’s.

tfE renorted at length, in our paper of Saturday t’m speech of the Provincial Treasurer, Mr. Newman, on. the second reading of the Appropriation B|U for the year 1865. The j ßtv which the treasurer set himself to per-fo-m was. to prert’o that the budget, which to the corporal ey/ was apparently empty, was to the ove of faith a Fortnoatus’ purse, from which cheques for £SOOO must continue to fl oW in a perreffjal stream. Fivc-thousaud-poutnl cheques seem to be a “ property ” with which Auckland Treasurers of late perform tricks of financial conjuring. With a “hey presto” we have seen one cheque f0r£5,003 vanish into Mr. Daldt’s “boots;” and with another hey presto, Mr. Newman is prepared to produce any number of these unconsidered trifles from Mr. Reader Wood’s shoes—vessels which, we presume, to he substituted for the inexhaustible hat of vulgar prestigiation. On Friday the Provincial Treasurer, having no facts on which to base his estimate of the revenue of the Province for the succeeding year, was compelled to substitute his own impressions. This he did gushingly, with very amusing egotism, and with a weak facetiousness, which his audience were unfortunately not in a condition to appreciate or enjoy. The “ satisfaction” that he condescended to express at the present condition of this Province, must, we hope, be reassuring to the public. We were borrowing three millions and spending it in the highly reproductive work of war. Beef uas high in price ; so was bread ; —that was very encouraging to the farmer. Then we had Coromandel and the Kawakawa coal mines ; w» have, however,, laborers who are willing to work aud cannot find employment. Mr. Newman says that it only needs that one man shall go into the market and engage fifty of the workmen, and then the glut will best once relieved. The man, however, does not come; and the immigrant is in want. Meantime, Mr. William Crush Daldt, “Agent General for the Province of Auck- “ land in Great Britain as he styles himself, is assuring miners and others, in London, flat upon their arrival here they will receive nine-shillings per day for eight hours’ work ; whilst on this side his Honor the Superintendent is asking the Provincial Council to provide food for the miners, who have been here for many weeks unemployed, and therefore in want. Mr. Newman sees that it is profitable to borrow money to import miners, because such men must contribute £3 per head per annum to the customs revenue ; ladthe Agent-General w 1’ no doubt continue to ship these articles according to order, at “one per cent, commission.” Seriously, the budget is a fitting termination to tho farce of “legislation” which has of late been placed upon the stage in the Council chamber. All the Bills heretofore introduced by the “head of the Government” have been quietly laughed out of the House, tad the same fate appeal’s to await the Appropriation Act. It is hardly worth while to oombat the financial impressions of the Prohscial Treasurer. He knows, in fact, nothing about the prospects of the Provincial Revenue for the coming year ; and His Excellency’s advisers, the Responsible Minister did not think it proper to give tom any information. Their silence is Oainons, but expressive. No one less gushing than Mr. Newman expected them to pronounce a condemnation of their OVn policy, which must come home at once to the pockets of the people of Auckland. That duty must, we suppose, be left to their successor?. Under these circumstances, the ftoling of the Provincial Council seemed to 7> that it would be simple folly and waste of time to go into a consideration of estimates of expenditure, which under any circumstances a ust be pronounced to be recklessly extravaWhen the session of the General shall have closed, it will be seen brother or not the Province can reckon in hduro upon receiving, as their share of the Surplus Revenue, at least three-eighths of the Fuss Customs receipts. Meantime we gather from the opinions exposed in the Council, that an adjournment Rafter the sitting of the Assembly will *“ ortl 7 fuke place, aud that then the passing of appropriation for a short time upon e scale of the current year will precede that ®®Daud for a dissolution of the Council, in uich lies the only remedy now available the helplessness, contempt, and distrust, which the Executive have very fallen.