MARLBOROUGH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5687, 5 October 1896, Page 4

MARLBOROUGH.

ITS EARLY COLONISATION AND SETTLEMENT. VII. BETREXCIIMKNT. Mr Eyes opened the first important session of his Council in the Courthouse, at Blenheim, on Nov. 14, 18G5. In his "speech from the throne. s '; ho dealt most ably and exhaustively with', the financial position of the' province. In moderate but decisive language lie rebuked the extravagance of liis predecessors in office, pointing out that, although, the revenue had barely come up to the authorised expenditure, a sum pf .£11,945 had been spent in" excess ofthe appropriations. This would necessitate an increase ...of < the" -bank overdraft to .£6500, and also a vigorous policy of retrenchment. Tho cost of the . provincialservice was by this means to be reduced by -£2000 per" year, and a,ll public works wore to cease. The Superintendent also informed, the Council, that, .'with, a view to 'economy, he had amalgamated thi > .office of CQmi.iissio_.eL* of Crown Lands with that

of Provincial Secretary. Captain Kenny, who had held the former office since 1862, had found it inconvenient to remove to Blenheim, and he accordingly tendered his resignation to his Excellency the Governor. His successor to this important office was Mr James Balfour Weuiyss, who had represented Marlborough in the Nelson I Provincial Council previous to separation As Mr Eyes was a man of great executive capacity, he began his administration by endeavouring to restore the provincial exchequer to a healthy condition by giving settlers power to rate themselves forthe formation and maintenance, . pf the roads in their own locality, and so reduce the strain upon the general revenue. But notwithstanding the fact that the Superintendent had assured the Council that there were absolutely no funds available for public works, wefind members giving notice to move that various sums be spent on a road through the Kaituna valley," oh a bridge at Picton, and on the wharf at Blenheim. In vain did the Superintendent point out that if this course was to be pursued it must lead to further complications,, and tho only way he could succeed in repulsing these attacks upon the treasury was to move the adjournment of tho debate whenever a member brought his pet grievance before the Council., but even in these tactics he was not always successful. Nominally for purpose of keeping in touch with the views of representatives, but really for tho purpose of exercising his personal influence in the Chamber. Mr Eyes did not follow tho precedent set by previous Superintendents in withdrawing from the deliberations of tho Council, but he decided to conduct the debates upon his measures in person. Being a fluent and easy speaker, trained by a long experience in the General Assembly, his services, in this respect wero invaluable to his party. He was also a man of great force of character — a man whose will would be dominant wherever he was. BeginningIns lifo in the province as a "bullock puncher," he worked on, always asserting himself, until he virtually became its king, a position which he might have retained until now but for an indiscretion which ultimately deprived him of power and public respect. As a Superintendent his energies were mainly directed to financial reform, and this he sought to bring about in two directions. It has already been . shown that the chief source •of 'revenue was the proceeds derived from the land sales,- but the amount to be realised was exceedingly precarious. Mr Eyes was convinced of the desirableness of having the revenue certain and assured. He therefore resuscitated the scheme of land

settlement originally conceived by Mr Carter, under which the waste lands of the province were to be leased for a long term of years. Ho accordingly submitted to his Councillors a set of new land regulations, which he induced them to pass. These he afterwards had embodied in an Art of the General Assembly, thus originating the Marlborough Waste Lands Act, 1867. The effect of this measure was to givo the province an assured revenue of about •64000 per annum, and after that the financial machinery ran with comparative smoothness. Mr Eyes had constantly impressed upon Mr Stafford, the Premier, the unfairness of paying Marlborough her sWre of the Customs revenue proportionately, instead of on a population basis, and this change was also brought about, thus I furtlvei? assurin-j* the provincial finance.