PROVINCIAL COUNCIAL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 275, 8 May 1873, Page 5

PROVINCIAL COUNCIAL.

The thirty-first session of the Council was opened on Tuesday. The following are a few of the subjects touched upon in his Honor the Superintendent's address : Mb. Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provincial Council — In opening the 3Lat Session of the Provincial Council, it may be well briefly to epitomise the leading features which indicate the progress of the Proviuce since I last addressed you. The declared value of the imports during the past financial year has been £1,884,998, while the import duty has amounted to £202,000, or equal to about one third of the Customs revenue of the Colony. Unfortunately, however, of this sum none has found its way into the Provincial Treasury. The gold exported during the year has been 169,212, as against 166,372 ounces dujiug the previous year. The total value of Provincial produce exported, inclusive of gold, anionuts to £2,279,663, as against £1,190,000 for the year before. This ia equal to £70 per

head for each statute adttlt in the Province, an amount which I venture to say is unequalled in any other part of the world. The revenue received from gold duty, miners' rights and business licenses on goldfields 'has been £39,790 13s 2d, as against £41,816 in the previous year, j Although this shows a slight decrease of revenue for the year, it will be seen that the gold exported exhibits a small increase ; the difference is attributed partly to the reduction of the gold duty by 6d per ounce. The total receipts from all sources into the Provincial treasury during the year has been £338,000 as against £289,000 during the previous year. Last, year, as you are aware, we began j with a bank overdraft amounting to ' £40,497, this year we commence with a balance in our favor of £16,691. The expenditure during the past year, including payment of the overdraft, has amounted to £279,522 ; of this sum, after providing for Education, Police, Jails, Hospitals, Lunatic Asylum, Harbors, Interest on Loans, and other permanent departmental charges, there have been expended on roads, bridges, and other public works, £82.874. The immigration from the United Kingdom for the year amounted to 1.525, while there have been born in the Province 3,000 fouls. The number of deaths for the year was 720 ; the numbpr of marriages for the same period was 492. During the year 12 additional schools have been established, making the total of public schools throughout, the Province 127, with a teaching *+affof 190. There have been sold 203,138 acres of rural land, distributed amony 401 different purchasers ; of town allotments there have been sold 761 acre*, to 401 different purchasers ; of a^ricnH iral leases on Goldfields there have been granted 136, covering an area of 10,389 acres. The foregoing statement, though rather dry, perhaps, will serve to indicate tho extent of the settlement and the general progress of the Province sine we last met. Tt is intended this year to increase the appropriation towards the main road to the Lakes, both by Roxbnrsh and Naseby. Under the Waste Lands Act, tbe approval of thp Council would be solicited in order *o the declaration of the following blocks of land as open for selection on deferred pavment3 :— 2500 acres near Tapanui ; 2000 on the Waikaka ; 2500 near Rwitzers ; 2500 near Longford ; 2500 near Ettrick ; 2500 near Roxburgh ; 2500 near Hawea : 2500 on Spotts Creek ; 2500 at ?Ida Valley : 2500 at Macraes ; 5000 Tuapeka ; beine in all 30.000 acres, the maximum area allowed by law to be dealt with in this shape during the present year. I regret that this limitation precludes the setting aside of areas on similar terms in other districts, those now indicated being the best land, and the most urgently required. Next year, however it is hoped that the localities which we are now compelled to exclude will participate in the advantage of the deferred payment system . After several notices of motion had been given, the Council adjourned till yesterday. ___