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Southland Times, Issue 1248, 10 May 1870, Page 2

We publish in another column an article showing the reckless career of extravagance upon which Otago, or at least her present Superintendent, seems bent on entering, and below we give a few more facts which ought to make even rabid re-unionists pause and reflect. A careful peruaal of the figures noted must prompt the query, " Are we wise in forcing an alliance with a province equally embarrassed withourselves ?" Our opinion — and we believe it is that of those moat able to form a correct one, and who have given the subject the greatest thought — j is that it would be infinitely better for us I to appeal to the General Government for the administration of our affairs. Better far to be arecognised integral portion of the colony, by whatever name, than the remote district of a province governed by a grasping, jealous, ambitious city. The following is the statement to which we refer : — The statement of revenue and expenditure of the Provincial Government, from ! | April 1, 1869, to .March 31, 1870, is

published, and shows anything but a promising state of affairs. The payments exceed the receipts by £18,580 18s, which added to the deficiency of £24,769 7s Bd, hasincreased the deficit to £43,350 5s Bd. I The total revenue received was £289,677 19s 6d, from the following sources: — Crown Lands, £35,013 4s Id; Sheep and Cattle Assessment under the Waste Lands Act, £58,090 7s 2d ; Gold Fields Revenue, £19,460 3s lid; Consolidated Eevenue, £89,078 14s lOd ; Gold Export Duty, £20,132 10s 9d; Sale of Government Buildings and Land, £1,483 6s 2d; Harbor Dues, £2,792 0s 8d ; Jetty Dues, £4,597 Is lOd ; Dog Tax, £2,418 10s 6d; Goat Tax, £27 5s ; Rents, £191 7s 3d ; Sinking Fund Eeleased, £23,986 Is 9d ; Repayments on account of Immigration, the Hospital, the Lunatic Asylum, and the Industrial School amount to £3,782 5s lOd; Receipts for School Books, School Fees, and Revenue from Education Reserves amounted to £2,090 8s 7d; the sum received for Maintenance of Debtors and for Prison Labor was £92 9s Gd; Tolls on Eoads realised £11,991 9s sd; Eevenue from miscellaneous sources, £1,589 7s 3d, and from Licenses, £12,861 ss. The total expenditure for the year has been £315,867 Us, and would have been greater had all the votes been expended. The falling off is principally in the land revenue, which in 1868 was £136,898 16s—nearly £102,000 more than last year. Had the Hundreds Regulation Act been brought into operation, the Province would have been in a very different position. The present prospect is that of a dead-lock.