THE PROVINCIAL TREASURER'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 674, 29 October 1864, Page 20

THE PROVINCIAL TREASURER'S FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

In the Provincial Council on Monday the Pro vincial Treasurer made the following financial Statement :—

Mr Speaker, it is my intention io be ,as brief as possible in stating as nparty as ray ability will allow me the financial position of the Province, so that every honorable member may understand clearly what that position is when the sever.il items of the ppoposed are submitted for their comsideration, and thus that they may be able to give their votes and have «?oo I reas-ms for so doinp. I will touch very lightly upon the past ; dwell at greater leDgth upon the present ; and glance slightly afe the future. For, I take it, it is from experience of the past that we are enabled to gather material to aid us in our present course of action. As regards the past : in June last, when this Hou'e was prorogued, I confess our financial condition was difficult. We had Debentures unsold. We had an iutimation from the Bank that in consequence of instructions from the Directors our over-draft could not be increased— nay more,

that we were called upon as tpeedily as possible to reduce it. Fortunately we were able to make betfr arrangements than we anticipated with the Bank, and fortunately also our land sale* realised a. larger amount than we expected, «o that we have been able to pas 3 through a time whi h. I have no hesitation in saying, was attended with great difficu'ty without being compelled to avail our3elve3 of the promised assistance | ?ivn by the Gentra! lioveriWnt. With regard to tlia expenditure of the last six months, a sratement of that expenditure has bren made to this Hou^e. The monies which were expended in excess dt the amount appropriated has been submitted to honorable members of this House, ami the Superintendent has been indemnified for such expenditure. On these matters I shall not dwell now. They are past and cannot be, recalled. But, sir, the expenditure of the past leads us on naturally to take into consideration the snhjeU which more properly belongs to the question b:fore us to-night — that is the proposed expenditure for the current cix months, the estimated revenue and the estimated expendituie. Before goyig into the matter cf expenditure, perhaps I may be permitted to make one or two observations with regard to one or two items of e«tima f ed revenue which, perhaps, the honorable nvmbers would like somci informal on upon. The item appears 'In th I estimite of revenue of prison labour, L2OOO. I honorable members will turn* to the estimated expenditure under the head of " Gaol," thfy will see a similar sum placed under that head. And I assume this may be fairly considered revenne inasmuch bs it an amount which we shou'd hwe to take out of the Treasury, if we had employed mechanics and workmen not under the control of the Government, in order to pay them for work done. Wow, iv our gaol we have mechanics at all times, and it hai been determined by the Govern m<nt that we shall avail ourselves of nuy skilled labor we have at command, ia cutting down Bell Hill, to save the expenditure of em P'oying a number of laborers ; and I trust the course will be satisfactory t) honorable members present. T here are two oiher items— l ight h >uses and Telegraphs. These amounts are re. fuu is from the General Government, and mast not be looked upon as perennial sources of revenue. In the estimates of revenue of last half-y-.ar, there was an item for Sheep Assessments, wijich does not appear in this, as there will be no revenue derivable from that source du-ing the current six months. Then there is another omission -that is our share of the surplus revenue of the Province. I thought it unwise ts place this on the Estimates, for I have not received a»y returo fur a considerable time. And now, Sir, honorable membsrs will perceive a great difference between the present Estimates of expenditure ai compared with those of )a<-t session, as tbe Estimates for Departmental Expenditure are considerably reduced. We> have reduced the Depart, mental Salaries and Contineencie3, aa will be seen, to the extent, for the half year, of LIQ,S79, or at tbe rate of a year'ysalary of L2O 000. Sir, this is retrenchment and I wish Voaorable members to understand c!ear!y^aud mor<j p:».riculnrly those honorable members who occupied these seate (the GovernmeHt seats) before we took •>ffic*, that it was not trora choice that we are here. We simply carae into office because the late Government were dettrmiued to go <,ut. (Hear, hear ) We dimply stated, oar willingness to attempt to do what the late Government did not consider advisable should be done. (Hear, hear) On this matter the Council and the lato Government 'were ati9.ue. We have made the atcempt, and ns soon bs we CBmo into office it occurred to us that it was necessary to retrench, and we have done our best. It has been a most thankless task, but it has bean our duty. The saving on the Departmental Expenditure has bee>. in consequence of a reduction partly in the number of offic^r&on the staff. This reduction has taken place where we fouud it practicable. Th> re his also been a reduction of salaries. This reduction we were very unwilling to make, but it has been made from the' sheer necessity .of the case, and I believe thpro has been no partiality shown whatever, but ell have been treated alike, as far as our duty allowed us to go. If any salaries have not been touched there is a reason which I shall be prepared to give if necessary, at the proper tims. The proposed expenditure for the next rix months is— ior departmental salaries L9'3074 18s Id: Provincial Treasurer general expenditure, L 36.299 133 SJ. Total oxpenditure on roids, ruMic works, buildings, telegraphs, &c., L13a,105 18i sd, making 'oer»ther L 267.980 9s lid. or in round aumbers, L 268 000 I wish to say a few wjrds with regard to the Provincial Treasurer- General's expenditure, L 36,292 13s sd.> In this ilem are compu3fld various sums which are not contingent upon the departmental staff at all. It coutains voteßto benevolent' institutions, repayments of loans, interest and sinking fuud, which are more particularly described in the printed estimates. Now. Sir, we are in this position : we have an estimated revenue of L 168.035, and an estimated expenditure of » -267,978. Ourdepartmentalexpenditure, inoladinir the Treasurer-General's expenditure, is about L 128.874 against an expenditure for Fublio Wcrks and Bridges of L 139.105. I wish honorable members to see these figures, because they are really very significant. I shall be told doubtless, before the night is over, . that my system of retrenchment has been unnecessary and excessive. I deny it most emphatically. I am willing to admit that it has been very much against t"the inclination of the Government to mike the reduction, but we have considered it necessary and we hope tbe members of this House will support us in the reduction. Our Departmental staff is out of all proportion even now' to our departmental revenue. (Hear, hear.) Doubtleas I shall be asked why no certain rate of reduction in salaries has been followed. My answer is simply because we found on reference, that no certain rate of increaje was followed two yea? 8 ago. We have been obliged lo ao f on our judgment, as they did when they were increased. The persons in office may have been justified in looking forward to the prosperity of the province: but events proved that, although it has not retrograded, it ha« fallen back quietly into a more stable and certain state; but ita position will not warrant the increased expense which they thought it would. We have made an amalga"raation of office*, also, lo effect this reduction— that is as far as the limited time of six months could enable us to do so. It will be seen tha< the offices of Road Engineer, Provincial Engineer, and the Survey Department haye been amalgamated. In tffeoting this amalgamation tats difficulty arose— we had two valued servants of the Government *nd were desirous to amalgamate the two offices, On ihe one hand we had a Surveyor—a valued and tried servant, also able to act as engineer. On the other side we had on

engineer with whom the Government tJiousjht ifc. their du^y to part. Far from wishing to imply, however, the slightest censure on that Kentieman, hut simply because we did not believe 1m waa adapted to take the Surrey Department, and therefwfce we h*ve retained the Chief Engineer fll Otajro The Road we thought we should phce ircdtr the same hevl. ar.d in consequence of this unitingof three offices into one, it mlghl.at first appear that a new deoariment had been created. The Kail way Engineer I allude to This 13 a department whfch of necesoiiy pxists from tbegeDtleman who occupies the chief petition beini? under an fngaprertent for a crrfcain specified tfrae for certain specified work. There is another departtneut which has almost become worthy of the nam» which honorable members may be somewhat surprised at seeing The department set aside to deal with, roads and delations, This department has been found to be a moak nseful and necessary one. The report of the Chairman of that department is on the table of lie House. It will tell the number of properties, coiicprmnff which he has been able to make satisfactory arra-'gements It ftivca the number of roads which have been closed or gmn over to the Govarnment, "-through the instrumentality and energy of the gentjeman ocunyine th« chief position irf that department. But, Sir, baring stated as I have done what the c timated tXDendi* ture for the present six months, and what, the estimated revenue will bp, I will shew how I Kopa to meet the expenditure. In addition to the Forphis revenue of L 53 271 14s sd, our estimated reTenne fririounts to Ll6B 085. Knteri/ig more particularly into some of the items, there will be L 15.245 from the Harbour Loan, Ll9 3&) from Loan 1862. in addition to 1 10,498 unappropriated of another loan. I shall be told, doubtless, before the evening ia over, we have not initiated any works of proerresa. I confess, Sir, we haw not, speaking for myself and colleagues. We Bbnfl be perfectly content to msintaia'our own rntfccut goinu; into debt Let us hare the money, anil we will spend it/ but do not cnll upon us to sp?nd money before we have it, for we mightbe in this difficulty -we might spend money' the debentures might not sell, the Bsnk wilt not allow a further overdraft, and we should be in a vrorss position than in June last. More ver, the present state of matters raa*t he altered. It is imperatively necessary for the welfare of the Provine* that the present system shouH be altered. The interest and sinking fund would swaltow bj» our' money, and the sooner we live irithfn oar means the better. I dare say remarlgs will bemade concerning the position of the Government with regard to the Civil Series. I daresay it may bs insinuated that we acted &s wo hare done. But we had a very difficult doty imposed upon us. We commenced that duty, and we ask the Hou»e to allow us to continue our endeavoura. if it meek their sanction. Then we roav be told that this Government his only one idea in this, reduction. It is, howtTer, an jdea that the present Government desire tow.jrk out fclrap'y because on the reduction they consider the road to safety is implied. Then ifc may be said we have stopped all farther progress. If nit political opponents wish to give 03 all the praiso they possibly could accord us, they law bat to repeat the assertion. We have Bopped ifc for a. time,- and have yet to learn whether it has iij ored- the country t© stop the wheels of tbe political coach froaa going ioto whal looks verjy like a state of political bankruptcy, There is ,only one other remark I think it necessary to make, and I am almost "ashamed to make it., for it sounds very like' an acinjja'ioa which I hirdiy think an btinest man can entertain for a moment. It has been publicly stated that on our system of reduction wa have been , guided by personal motives. Sir, the person or persons by whom such an idea wos uttered may keen it for themselves for what' it is worth.— (Hear, hear.) I will not trouble the House farther, but bejj to move this House go into Committee of Supply. *

More Nice than Scientific— A eentleraan mnch interested in botanical matters recently directed one of the clerks at ' his place of business to copy a list of names for him. On looking over what had been written, he was surpised to find the word* " Large-noia." ■ On pointing out to the yotingman that an error had been made, he was informed in all sincerity that it was not really incorrect:, bitt only an improvement on the original. The word was Bfrrnonia, but as big was rather a slangterm, he haa altered it to large, which meant the same thing, and was much more elegant.

The Wise Judge.— A young man going a journey entrusted one hundred deenars to an old man. When he came back, the old roan denied having had any money deposited with him, and hewas had up before the Khaze. " Where were yoa young man/when you delivered that money 1 " — " Under a tree. ' " Take my seal and summon that tree," said the judge. " Go, younfcraan, and tell the tree to come hither, and the tree will obey when you show it my seal." The young man went in wonder. After he had been gone some time, the Khazee said to the ofd man, '• he is long. Do you think he has got there yet." " How knowest thou, oM man," cried the Khazee, " where the tree is 1 " The young man returned, and said the tree would not come. "Be has been here, younjy man, and give his evidence. The money is thine."

Fireside Philosophy.— A round of pleasure sometimes renders it difficult to make things square. I

A lady asked a very silly Scotch nobleman howit happened that the Scots who came out of their own country were, generally speaUin?, m«n of more ability than those who remained at home. " Oh, madame, said he, •' the reason . is obvious. * At every outlet there are persons stationed to examine all who pass, that, for the honor of the country, no one be permitted to leave it who » not a man of understanding." " 1 en," said the lady, " I suppose your lonfihip was. mgglcd.", When the celebrated Beau Nash was ill, DrCheyne wrote a prescription for him. The next day the doctor coining .to see his patient, iaquired if he had followed his prescription.—" No. truly doctor," said Nash; "if I hud, I should have broken my neck, for 1 threw it out of a two-pair-of-stairs window,"

The Chateau of Chawigny, near Givors (Rhone) says Qalignani, waa struok by lightning- tamt days ago. A lady's maid, while passing along on, of tbe galleries, was killed on the spot. The top 01 a silver comb in her hair was pierced withnßajerous holes, and-severai of its teeth were routed. During another storm which burst oter Mesda (.Lozere) a few days sioce, the lightning fefl among a flwk of sheep in a fold and killed 1 »