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New Zealand Mail, Issue 753, 6 August 1886, Page 22

Some remarkable figures are shown in a return which has been laid on the table of the House by the Minister o£ Mines on the application of Mr Seddon. The return set forth the cost and revenue of the Kumara water-rac9. It appears that the original cost of the race was £37,409. The gross receipts during the past year for sales of water to miners amounted to £10,381. From this must be deducted £1454, working expenses, leaving a net profit at the rate of 23j| per cent. ! This is something like a Government investment ! It oven beats telephones !

The Public Petitions Committee have’ reported on the petition of Mr Thomas Pepperell, contractor, who prayed for compensation in land or money for alleged unfair treatment on the part of the Government officers in connection with the Opaki contract on the Wellington - Napier Railway, through which, the petitioner stated, he had been subjected to heavy less. The Committee expressed the opinion that the petitioner had “ no claim against the Colony. 55

The Public Trust Office Act Amendment Bill, introduced by the Colonial Treasurer merely enacts that—“ The Minister for Native Affairs, the Surveyor-General, and the Property Tax Commissioner, for the time being respectively, shall hereafter be members of the Board constituted under the Public Trust Office Act, 1882.”

Fob the four-weekly period ending on the 2Gth of June, the total revenue from the railways was L 64,562 against L 81,404 for the corresponding period of last year. The sum for the North Island was L 21,424 against L 24.181 last year, and for the South Island L 43,138 against L 57,222 last year. Auckland section gave L 7690 against L 9783 ; Napier, L 4453 against L 4084 ; Wellington, L 4107 against £4568 ; Wanganui, L 4432 against L 4938 ; Hurunui-Bluff, L 38,996 against L 53,168; Greymouth, L 1467 against L 1613 ; and Westport, L 1521 against LllOO. Every section in the Colony shows a falling off except Napier and Westport. The total working expenses were L54,528‘ against L 54.531 last year. The amount in the North Island was L 18,652 against L 17,958, and in the South Island L 35,875 against L 36,572 last year. In the Wellington section there has been an increase from L 3123 to L 3867. In Auckland the sum spent was L 6894 against L72SI for the corresponding period of last year.

It is gratifying to find a New South Wales journal taking up the cudgelß on behalf of the Colony, against its persistent and unfair depreciation by English papers. The Sydney Morning Herald commenting upon the Economist’s recent article asserts that colonists have fair reason to complain of the manner in which that journal compares English and colonial debts. Replying to Sir Francis Bell, who had written in defence of the financial position of New Zealand, the Economist says—“ Sir Francis Bell compares New Zealand with Great Britain as measured proportionately' by population, forgetting that the same 1 unreliable method could readily be used' against himself. New Zealand, for insfance, has about 600,000 inhabitants, orabout one-sixtieth of the number of Great Britain, and the total colonial debt is ju3t under £30,000,000, sathat to be on equal terms with the" Colony as regards indebtedness the debt of the Mother Country would have toamount to 1,800,000,000, or two and a. quarter times its actual amount.” The Sydney Herald remarks that the accusation of forgetfulness levelled against Siir Francis Bell is clearly chargeable against his journalistic critic, for the comparisonomits the elements necessary to make itr just. The Herald goes on to say :—“The debt of New Zealand is very largely represented by railways and public works, whilst there is no such asset to set against the debt of the Mother Country. To make the comparison worth anything the cost of the British railways must be added to the Home debt, and as this exceeds the amount of that debt, the proportion to population of the Mother Country would be about equivalent to that in New Zealand. But in the comparison it might be shown that there are in the Colony large areas of unsold land as a further security to the bondholders. A debt represented by a substantial asset is obviously so different from one which has no such set-ofi, that it is hard to understand how such a method of comparison could be adopted by an authority like the Economist. Unfortunately, this kind of thing is repeated whenever a loan is floated oy an Australian Colony. If money were wanted by New South Wales to go to war with "Victoria, instead of for railway construction, the comparison would be fair ; but when it is almost entirely represented by public works an injustice is done which demands an emphatic protest. The credit of the colonies is involved in the widespred knowledge of their true position ; and the Economist does not enhance its reputation by withholding so many of the facts. 55

The serious falling off exhibited by the two largest revenue items, -Customs and Railways, in the first quarter of the current year, threatens to affect very materially the realisation of the revenue estimates for the year. The deficiency in

Customs for the first quarter i 3 at the rate of over.'Ll6o,oGo per annum. The deficiency in Railways is at the rate of L 150,000 per annum. These are two very formidable items. It may not happen, and we sincerely hope it will not, that this heavy rate of loss will be maintained throughout the year, but even the one quarter’s results leave a deficiency of over 1,40,000. An explanation has been suggested as to the loss in Customs, which may possibly be the true solution; but even so it leaves an 41 aching void ” to be filled up before the revenue and estimate will balance. But the -June quarter is looked on as one of the best in the railway year owing to the grain traffic, and there is slender ground for hoping that the heavy arrears will be -made up by the 31st March. In view of the facts that on the one hand there is this failure of revenue, and that on the other hand the clause in the Civil Service Reform Bill, through which the Government hoped to effect a saving of 130,000 or 140,000 in the expenditure, one would like to know how both ends are to be •made to meet. Will the Treasurer bring down a Supplementary Statement?

Mk Duthib deserves the thanks of the public for raising in the Chamber of Commerce at its last meeting the question of the slow rate at which the Government propose to construct the PalmerstonWoodville railway. It is one of the most important and necessary lines in the whole Colony, being the connecting link between "East, West, and South of this island, and it ought to be completed with -all possible expedition. We understand that the - contract now taken for the Manawatu ' Gorge section of the line is one of the heaviest pieces of work ever yet let in New Zealand. It ought to have been in hand years ago, so as to be ready by the time the WellingtonPalmerston connection should be complete, as will be the case in about five months. As it is, the continuation to Woodville may not be finished for several years yet, unless more pressure is brought to bear. The Chamber of Commerce has taken up the matter in a very proper spirit, and should leave no stone unturned toward urging the acceleration of the necessary work.

Ws are very glad that the Chamber of Commerce carried the resolution moved by Mr Brans field in favour of further agitation toward obtaining the harbour - endowments to which this port is fairly entitled. It is to be hoped that the movement will not be allowed to flag. The members of the Chamber dealt with the matter very sensibly in their speeches, with the exception of some exceedingly and ill-advised remarks by Mr John Plimmer, which were calculated to damage seriously the cause he and the other members have at heart. It was surely quite unnecessary to go out of the way to reflect upon the city members, and singularly unwise to contend that the Government were warranted in treating Wellington unjustly because the City members happened to be on the opposition side of the House. We protest altogether against such a doctrine as this. As to possible reserves we have pointed out before that the Railway Department really does not need that valuable block of reclaimed land extending from a point opposite Charlotte-street, to near the Lion Foundry, and that area which i 3 now a hideous waste, aud a public eyesore, might just as well be granted to the Harbour Board, and made of some use.

With reference to the largo falling off in the Customs revenue for the past quarter, the New Zealand Trade Review says : “ The decrease is, however, to some extent capable of satisfactory explanation. We allude more especially to the items of sugar and tea, the receipts for which in the June quarter of 1885 were abnormally inflated by speculative clearances in anticipation of an increase in the rates of duty. The extent to which this took place on that occasion was more than sufficient to account for the whole of the above deficiencies Id these two items. The decline in spirits is, we presume, evidence of a continuation of the diminished consumption of alcoholic stimulants that has been going on for the last three or four years. The other items we must regard as indicative, to some extent at all events, of the severity of the depression which has existed, more or less, throughout the colonies.” The Customs duties for the year ended 30th June, 1886, yielded L 1,350,529, as against L 1,470,306 for the previous year, L 1,373,671 for the year before that, and L 1,490,343 for the year ended 30th June, 3883. On this comparison, the Trade Review remarks : above shown, for the twelvemonth ended with the 30tli Jana la3t, exhibits a fall-iug-off, as compared with the preceding year, of nearly L 120,000. The explanation given above in reference to the receipts for the quarter applies also to these totals. In our issue of July, 1885, j we estimated that the amount paid in advance in the speculative clearances of sugar aud tea represented not less than L 43,000. If this amount be deducted from the total of the previous year and added to that of the latest twelvemonth, the decrease would be reduced to about L 34,000, of which the decline in spirits, wine, aud beer, would account for nearly L 33,000. What proportion of this lastnamed reduction is due to increased sobriety, and what to diminished purchasing power, wo are not prepared to say. We are inclined to think that the < first is, at ail events, the more important j. factor, though we do not doubt that the 1

other has also had its effect both here and in some of the subsequent lines. The most ominous symptom in the case is that so large a proportion of the decline occurs in the latest quarter. . . Wellington is the only port whose total is greater than it was in any of the preceding years. The improved prospects of the agricultural and pastoral industries, however, give cause to hope that before long the South Island will recover from its depression, and we shall see Dunedin and Lyttelton regaining the lost ground which the present returns make manifest.” These pregnant figures and remarks afford material for much thought, and deserve careful consideration.

The colonial beer duty returns for the month of July last show that L 3531 2s 9d was received from this source of revenue, as compared with L 3487 19s Id for the previous month. For July, 1885, the amount received was L 3885 12s 10d, showing a decrease in the revenue for July this year, as compared with the corresponding month of last year, of L 354 10s Id. The amounts received in the four chief districts for last month were as follow :—Auckland, L 793 63 3d ; Wellington, L 356 12s 2d ; Christchurch, L 777 6s 5d ; Dunedin, L 685 17s 10d. For the same period of 1885 :—Auckland, L 843 2s ; Wellington, L 398 4s 8d ; Christchurch, L 696 123 5d ; Dunedin, L 845 19s 2d. The estimated revenue for 1886 is L 55,000, the monthly average being set down at L 4583 6s 83.

There are renewed rumours in the lobbies as to fresh dissensions in the Cabinet. We simply record the fact that such reports are freely current, but we express no opinion a 3 to their correctness or probability.

The Customs revenue collected in the Colony during the month of July last was L 114,452 18s lOd, as compared with L 118,587 3s 9d received during the corresponding period of last year. The estimate for the year is L 1,410,000, or a monthly average of L 117,500. The returns from the chief centres for July are as follows : —Auckland, L 34,657 0s 2d ; Wellington, L 16,198 10s lOd ; Christchurch and Lyttelton, L 15,722 6s Id ; Dunedin, L 28,661 19s Bd. Wellington exhibits the large falling off of L 8407 10s this year, while Christchurch shows a substantial increase of over L3OOO. No material difference is shown by the returns from Auckland and Dunedin.

The Public Committee have reported on the petition of Burnett and Yule, sawmillers, of Masterton, who had supplied timber to contractors who afterward became bankrupt, on which the timber was used by the Government. The Committee recommend that the petitioners be paid L 35 in full satisfaction.

The following notice of motion has been given by Mr Fulton in the Waste Lands Committee respecting the case of the Crown tenants : —“ (1) That the present tenure of land, both agricultural and pastoral, held under the Crown would be more satisfactory did it provide some self-acting adjustment of rents proportioned periodically to the price of the produce from the land, and its producing capacity. (2) That the Government be requested during the recess to consider the propriety of introducing a measure dealing with all lands held frou the Crown under the principle of judicial rents.”

There is a strong desire on the part of the Antwerp wool-brokers and manufacturers to encourage Australasian growers to send their clips to the Belgian market for sale. It is stated as one inducement that there is a saving of freight by doing so, as, though the cost of carriage from the colonies to Antwerp is the same as to London, that from Antwerp to Holland, the Rhine Provinces, Switzerland, and North of France, is 12s per ton less than from London. The cost of delivering goods from Antwerp to Scotland and the North of England i 3 also said to be about 15 per cent, less than the carriage by rail from London to most of the mills. M. de Harven, in a recent circular, states "that all selling charges, warehousing, delivering, &c., are considerably less in Antwery than in London, and gives his opinion that if all the Australasian wool ultimately taken by the Belgian market were received direct that there would be a saving of L 150,000 per annum. The value of the Australasian wool bought annually for Belgium, Holland, the Rhine Provinces, Switzerland, and the North of France, M. de Harven puts at L 11,000,000 sterling. At the sales at Antwerp last May 15,519 bales in all were catalogued, of which only 771 were from Australasia, the great bulk being from South America. M. de Harven takes a hopeful view of the future of the wool market, and is of opinion that, even if there should be a check in the present rising market, it is not likely that there will be a serious fall.

The North Island Trunk Railway Loau Application Bill was read a third time and passed at an early hour Wednesday morning, having passed through committee without material alteration, although a vigorous but unsuccessful attempt was made to strike out the clause empowering the diversion of LIOO,OOO for the purchase of Native lands along the line. We have previously expressed our disapproval of the proposal so to divert that sum, and nothing was said during the debate which in the slightest degree changed that opinion. However, the Bill is passed, and cannot be amended by the Legislative Council, bo it is useless

to say any more about the matter this sesssion.

Some excellent suggestions in the direction of improved “economy without abatement of efficiency are contained in the report of the Legislative Expenditure Committee, which was presented to Parliament during the week, and is printed in another column. It is to be hoped that the House will order practical effect to be given to most of the Committee’s recommendations, but we are not excessively sanguine that this will be done. It would, however, afford one ready means of retrenchment.

A petition has been presented to Parliament by Mr Parata from W. R. Te Aroha, that a railway pass for life he granted to him. W. R. Te Aroha is evidently indisposed to lose anything for want of asking.

The Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill authorises the payment to local bodies cf subsidies to the amount of half the sums authorised under last year’s Act. Of this one moiety is to be paid out of the Public Works fund, and the rest out of the Consolidated Fund.

It is to be hoped that the suggestions made by Mr Beetham and Dr Newman in the House of Representatives, that respectable residents of Wellington should, during the recess, have the full use of the Parliamentary Library will be adopted some time. It could be easily arranged that that those taking out books should leave a deposit of a sum of money sufficiently large to pay for any loss or damage. It seems sinful waste to allow such a fine library to lie virtually useless for nine months oftheyear. It is perfectly right that during the session of Parliament members should have the exclusive right to use the library, but during the rest of the year there is no reason why any decent person should not be allowed to have books if a guarantee against illusage is taken. It is not sufficient to grant the privilege to read within the building. Study is best carried on at home, and the only time that most people have for reading is when the library is shut. The library is the property of the Colony, and so far as possible it should be made available for the people. Of course it can only be of service to those staying in Wellington, but it is not to be supposed that there will be any objection on the part of the residents of other places to the use of public property being granted to the only people who are in a position to avail themselves of it.

The report of the Botanic Garden Board for 1885 86 has been presented to Parliament. The expenditure for the year has been L 239, against L 322 for the previous year. The report points what is obvious to everyone who visits the Garden, that the fences are in bad repair, and that an expenditure of at least L 25 is necessary. The want of funds prevents the Board from doing much work which ought to be done, such ae clearing away the gorse, which is a continual source of danger from fire. Regret is expressed that owing to the withdrawal of the Government grant, work in the nursery has been suspended, and that the Board has consequently been obliged to refuse all applications for young trees.

The annual report of the Governors of the New Zealand Institute has been printed and laid on t.he tables of both Houses. The Governors who retired during the year, according to the statute, were Messrs Waterhouse, Mantell, and Travers, all of whom were re-appointed by His Excellency. The elected members of the Board for the year are Messrs McKerrow, Maskell, and Dr. Hutchinson. The total number of members of the Institute in various parts of the Colony is 1267.

A wholesale “ massacre of the innocents ” has been announced. With 50 Bills still on the Order Paper in various stages, and several other highly debatable matters to be dealt with, it is clear that the Order Paper must be materially cut down it the session is to close at any early date. There is some talk of finishing by next Tuesday, but unless a vast amount of important business is to be sacrificed this can hardly be practicable. What with the Representation Bill, the Government Insurance Bill, the remainder of the ordinary and Public Works estimates, the reports on the Stark purchase and on the Government Insurance Association, Mr Macandrew’s resolution (which we understand the Government will allow to come on and be debated), and those ot Sir George Grey, which he can force on when Supply is next moved, there appears abundant business for another month. Nor do we see, indeed, why Parliament should not remain in session until its work is well and properly completed. But of course we have no expectation that this will be done.'

The following notices of motion are on the Supplementary Order Paper to be moved on going into Committee of Supply :—Mr W. J. Hurst, “ That the Wellington Ministerial residences be forthwith sold, and that in lien thereof Ministers be granted reasonable house allowance.” Dr Newman, “ (1) That in the opinion of this House the salaries and percentages to be paid to all officers of the Native Land Purchase Department should be included in the Public Works Estimates for the year ; and (2) the Government be requested to bring down 1

Supplementary Estimates for the current year, showing such salaries and percentages for this year. (3) That in the opinion of this House (a) on and after the Ist October ail freights on goods carried on the New Zealand Railways shall be the same on all Hues ; (b) that when any changes in freights are made such changes shall apply equally to the whole Colony.” Mr Guinness (1), “That all tolls now charged at the General Government bridges be abolished. (2), That the Government be authorised to sell the steamer Hinemoa.” Mr Lsvestam, ‘ 1 That, in the opinion of this House, the distillation of spirits within the Colony ought to be encouraged, so as to afford the farmers a local market for their grain.” Mr Beetham, “ That the report of the Joint House Committee should be taken into consideration by this House with the view of giving effect to the recommendation of the Committee.” Mr Hobbs, “That it is the opinion of this House the North Auckland Trank Railway and the Otago Central Extension Railway (Taieri Lake to Hawea) should be constructed under the provisions or on the basis of the Railway Construction and Land Acts.”

Mr Macanbrew has given notice of the following resolutions :—“ (1) That in this Colony, replete as it is with every element of comfort and wealth, the existence of so much idle capital in the form of unemployed labour, and the heavy burdens that are being imposed toward providing for charitable aid, are anomalies which do not reflect credit upon the Legislature, and which demand the most earnest consideration of this House. (2) That the granting of an adequate area of land, on the sole condition of beneficial occupation, to every man who is able and willing to work, would, to a large extent, reduce the number of the unemployed. (3) That the placing of suitable blocks of land at the disposal of Municipal Councils, County Councils, or District Road Boards, as the case may be, to b 9 by them assigned in small allotments to the able-bodied poor, and the devolving upon such local governing bodies the entire coat and responsibility of providing for the relief of the poor within their respective boundaries, would greatly tend to diminish and ultimately all but extirpate pauperism. (4) That, in order to remedy the evils in question, more depends upon executive than upon legislative action ; and, in so far as executive action in the direction indicated may be deemed fettered by the existing land laws, this House will readily agree to such amendment of the law as may be considered necessary. (5) That a readjustment of portfolios, by which the time and attention of a separate Minister of the Crown might be devoted exclusively to land administration in each Island, would be highly calculated to render the administration more effective than it can possibly be under the existing system, and would conduce to ease off these hindrances that practically stand so much in the way of people settling on the land. (6) That the Government be requested to take the foregoing resolutions into its serious consideration before the session closes, so as, if need be, to obtain the sanction of the Legislature to any action in the matter that may be deemed requisite.”