OUR GOVERNMENT AND ESTIMATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1312, 30 January 1868, Page 3

OUR GOVERNMENT AND ESTIMATES.

To the Editor of the Hbiiald. Sir,—What is the reason the estimates are given in such a condensed form, if they were not fallacious and dishonest ? it ie enough to make us think they were, and that the Provincial Secretary bundled them up in as small a compass as possible, for no other purpose than to mislead the.public. Hβ might possibly hare accomplished hie objeot, if there were no better scholars in the world than I am; but I must confess, poor as my acquirements are, that my credulity was checked when I took up the paper the othei' day and read down the estimates for the ensuing year. First I missed the item for education, but in its stead £684 10b, arrears to sohool-teachere. Now, I undoretood that his Honor refused to be advieed to repeal the existing Educational Act, if eo, and his refusal is compatible, then, 1 ask, what becomes of our liability under that Act ? Last year there was £2000 put down for the Board of Education. Will this £684 10s clear our liabiliti-e under thie head for the coming year ? or, is it put in to blind the truth. Secondly, I find nothing down for the Waste Land's department. Are tho commissioners, surveyore, draftsmen, clerirs, &c, going to give their services free ? or, is the land trade under the Government system at an end ? Ono or tho other must be the case, for I cannot see how the GoTernment can carry on the forty-acre system and trade in land without any officials and expense. " Lands and roads," I euppoifi, means the Publio Works department; and, although .this falls short of list year's estimate for that department, yot it ie not quite clear enough to satiefy us dnll settlers. Next comes the police, £3000. I have no confidence in it. The Provincial Secretary says it is an experiment. I wish our hon. members would place the liabilities of their police experiment on the proper shoulders, for I beg to renrnd them that we are not at all satisfied, and nevor shall ba while we have to bear eujh unjust burthens. It is an abominable shame that country settlers should be compelled to contribute towards their Maintenance, whilo their oerviceg are exclusively local. I isy it is a shame, and not only a shame, but an act of injustice to exact from the hand of the labouring settler the wherewith to support a department the eervicoa and benefits of which are only required and enjoyed by the merchants and citizens of Auckland, i hope our member, Mr. MoLeod, will not let the matter rest; and the whole of the country members will do well to consider this injustice and get it removed. Wβ want no excueea; tho reduotion of the force will not satisfy us. Whst we want ib the mill-Htone removed from our nhouldere to those who ought rightfully to bear it. Eight thousand pounds sterling ie no small item to draw unjustly from the pockets of the industrious; it is no use reckoning less. Experiments are generally costly in this country ; it may reaoh considerably above this ixxm. before the end of the year. But I won't dive into figures. It is enough for ue country settlers to know that we have to keep " watchmen " to watch the wealth of citizens and merchant*, whose interests are quite foreiga to our own. .We do not env<r them or their possessions, but we wish them to pay for their own servants. We hare assisted to pay for their protection and the

protection of their property quite long enough. let those "local benefits" be supported by "local charges*" There is one other item I will notice, then I will conolude ;it is the sinking fund. It is put down in the estimates £6750. In your iasuo on Saturday, the Provincial Secretary is reported to state that he had allowed £6500. Then he goes on to state that th liability on that account was near £10,000, and a further liability on £90,000. I am thinking that this fund would be most properly called the " stinklnß fund," for, as I remarked the other da/, these things begin to stink in our nostrils. On the whole I think the estimates are very disorderly and unsatisfactory. lam very muoh of the same opinion as our member Mr. Ball, as he expressed himself on the 23rd inst., that they aro not only fallacious but dishonest ; thoy are compiled to cheat tho publio. Ido not understand them, and would bo glad, Mr. Editor, if yon would kindly give us them in detiiil. This iB uo British way of carrying on the Government; it is, mi you remarked, a mongrel Bystem, and is getting quite detestable. I think tho sooner we get a change the better. If we are to have snßular separation, let us have it; if not, X will add another voice and another advocate for "centralism."—l am, &c., A Country Settler.