The Star WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1868.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 47, 8 July 1868, Page 2

The Star WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1868.

We nro gl(ul fco notico fclinl) tho Provincial Council lina ngrood to tlio voto of £600 propoaod by tho Tronfluror for dofraying tlio oxponaoH incurrod in collecting tlio ncrioulturnl aUtiafcics of tho pi'ovinco. Tho valuo of theso fli:atiwtica, to fnrmors Oflpoeially, mid tlio public gonoi'ally, liuh bcon already pointed out in oui 1 column» ; and it i» not| thorcibro, nocosaary to dwoll upon thiH part of tlio quoation. It will now bo tlio duty of tlio Qovoi'iunont to bco tliafc tho public got fcho full valuo of tho voto,

Tlioro firo two DonHonn whon ngpicuU turnl staiiotiea nro peculiarly Vftiuablo —at tho elotjo of Jiarvcbl;, And ttl; iho ond of uoad'timo, Wo boliovo ili ia (;ho intontion of tho Qovornmonfc to publish tho roturna at tho tiinoft indicated, oj» ah boom fchoroafbor an powiblo. If caro ib fcalcon to omploy compotonfc mon in oollooting the returria, tho public will bo pub M « position, tAvioo ft yoar, .- to • oafcimnfco ftccumtclv tho poaition of tho pro. vinco with regard to broadstuflk, Tho farmoro, wlio will dorivo the chief bonoftt from thc«o Htafcisliiofl, will no doubt aid ( tho Qovornraont as far iui thoy can in thoir collection. "Wo nro not awaro what plnn the Qovorntnent intonds (;o ndepl; iv collecting tho J rotui'iifli O)' wlwil; machinery thoy will omploy, Tho lioad Boards, wo boliovo, would bo. willing; to \indevtfllco the work, and by tlioit* agoncy if; might bo dono moro oflloi.ontly ana moro ocouo« mically than in any othor way. But tho mattoi' maybe Hafely lot'!; in tho hands of the Executive. Having rocogniflpd tho importance of gotting tho statioticß, thoy, uro not liltoly to fail in tho moro routino of collootion.

It is not probablo thai; tho Provincial Council will ngroo to rooommond bin Honor fcli© Suporintondond to placo n Bum of £75 on tho oatimatos for a proliminary ourvoy of tho Malvorn Hills ; and thoro m no good ronson why it nhould, If tlioro aro, an ia nßaortod, vnluablo minornla in tho diotrict;, tliowo who own property thoro ought to dofray tho oxponBO« of an exploring pnrfcy ; and thoy will, no doubt, do &o quickly onough if thoy boo a tmbstan. tial proßpoct of an adcfniuto return. Wliy should tho Government bo uukod tp ftpond monoy for iho bonoftO of thoso gontlomon who own land in tho Mill* vorn Ililla difltriot ? Wov that, aftor all, i» voally what it amountH to in the (Irnl; pla«o ( Wo mu»t protcat ( ngainot any hucli oxpondituro, in tho intoroMto of 'tho public at largo. As to tho protonco of preparing tho way for Dr Hector— that in uitnply aba u rd. Tho way hao boon proparod alroady, ao far an it can bo proparod, and wo boliovo Dv Hoetor would not bo inatoriftlly fl«»iHtod by tho labomvj of an ainfttour exploring party. Tho Q-ovornmont and pooplo of thin province can hardly fail to romombor an amateur oxpodition Hont out— on April I—to1 — to dincovor a pami to tho Vvo«t Coant, Tho only roiiult in that caso, ho far at) wo can remember, waa a conflidwablo bill, which tho Qovornmont had to pay.