Saturday, June 4. THE PREMIER IN REQUISITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1855, 10 June 1887, Page 15

Saturday, June 4. THE PREMIER IN REQUISITION.

The Premier, Sir R. Stout, has received an invitation from several constituencies to become a candidate at the forthcoming elections. He has been pressed very much to contest the Napier seat against Mr Ormond, but he informs me that he has refused all requests and will contest Dunedin East against allcomers. , THE MEMBER FOR PORT CHALMERS.

As all the important public business is now at an end, Mr Mills intends leaving for the South on Sunday. He will probably pay a visit to Australia very shortly. An impression seems to have got abroad that by his vote on the no-confidence motion he has cast in his lot with the Opposition. Such is not the case, as he indicated in the House .the other day.. He has strong hopes that the Premier will so far modify his views that he may be able to give him a cordial support.

PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT.

On making inquiry at the Public Works Office I find that no additional particulars are obtainable as to works, beyond the assurance that all works at present in hand will be pushed on at the same rate of progress as in the past. Additional particulars as to railways will be laiii before the House on Monday, in the annual report on working railways. This report will show that substantial economy has been effected. The working expenses have been less by £25 per mile than on the previous year. There are now 1827 miles open, as against 1621 last year. The grain traffic showed a substantial increase, but this item alone is now. very far short of what it was some four years ago. The construction cost of the working railways to date has been £13,017,567 ; and the total expenditure' on finished and unfinished lines, Government harbour works, surveys, stock, &c. amounts to £14,219,116.

THE COST OF EDUCATION.

A return just presented lo the Legislative Council to the order of the Hon. Mr Holmes shows the total cost of education to the colony to be nearly £1 per head on the population. The gross expenditure for the year ending 31st December last was £549,333 7s Bd, less £40,295 4s 5d revenue derived from endowment and school fees ; leaving a balance of £509,038 3s 3d. The principal items are (shillings and pence being omitted) : —

Expended. Eecovered. Otago University ... £ 9645 £1,306 W.Z University ... 2,990 793 Canterbury College ... 7,316 1,379 Education Boards ... 412,075 2,500 A STORM BREWING.

Nothing is talked about but the extraordinary expenditure of £70,000 for village and special settlements. Ameetingof the Opposition will take place to-morrow forenoon to consider the course to be adopted, many members of the party being favourable to withholding supplies till an explicit statement is forthcoming from the Minister of Lands. The expenditure on roads to open up Crown lands for sale and for colonial defences is also regarded by the Opposition as unsatisfactory, and the debate on these subjects in the House to-tnorrow is expected to be of a lively character.