THE WEST COAST ESTIMATES.

West Coast Times, Issue 92, 3 January 1866, Page 2

THE WEST COAST ESTIMATES.

[The following report to which attention was called in the Times of yesterday, and which has been standing in type for several days, was accidentally omitted in our last issue- 1

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL, DEC. 14.

On the motion of Mr Hall, the Council went into committee of supply to consider the estimates for the West Cauterburv goldfield. J

Mr Hall said that ho proposed to give a few general explanations with regard to these estimates ; but he desired, first, to call attention to tho fact that they stood on a different footing to other estimates. The 59th clause of the Goldfields Act stated that all charges and expenses on them shcmld be regulated by the Governor in Council, and should be paid out of fees and other receipts under the Act. It was usual for the Governor to delegate this power to Superintendents, and he might also provide that the expenditure should be controlled by the Council. In the delegation to tho Superintendent no such provisiou was contained ; but although w Otago the Council was not consulted by the Superintendent with regard to Goldfields Estimates, this Government had preferred to bo advised by the Council. In pursuance of that determination, these estimates (from Ist July lust to 30th June next) were now placed before the Council, and more detailed accounts would shortly be placed toforo it. A general statementhad. own waft) tf the whole of ft* rjoefetj

and expenditure up to the 31st October last, and ho would stntc them generally. Receipts—Gold duty, L 10,70 0; Customs, L 9524 ; miners' rights, licenses, &c, L 17,600 ; auctioneers' licences, L 68 0; making a total of about L 44.500 receipts down to 31sfc October last. The expenditure to same date was divided into two portions, viz., that paid at Clmstchurch, and .that at Hokitika. That paid at West Coast was L 40,435 ; and that at Christchurch, L 58,96 4; making a total of L99,»399, including the wholo of tho expenditure of the West Coast road ; tho wholo of which, however, would not be charged to the West Coast. In spite of that deduction it would bo seen that tho West Coast had been fairly treated. With regard to the future, the principlo on which the Government proposed to deal with this part of the province, .was, during its early history to spend on it tho whole of the revenue arising from it. It was necessary at first to spend the wholo of its revenue on a goldfield, and not call on it to contributo to tho general expenses of the province by which it was benefited, as it was a new district and large expense was necessary to start the machinery of Government. It was also propo^jd, except in two instances, to which he would allude hereafter, to keep the expenditure within the income, and not exceed if, as had been done in Marlborough and Otago. It would not be wise or prudent to anticipate revenue by loans in such districts, as the yield might suddenly fall off, and a debt be left to the province. To illustrate tho generally precarious character of the revenue in goldfield districts, lie would read an account given him byDr Hector, winch was a short history of gold discovery from the 15th century. (Mr Hall hero read it.) That report showed that the yield of gold in particular districts had been fluctuating, and the Go- • vernment would act on that experience. The estimates for the remaining portion of the current year were as follows :—: — Receipts, -gths of Customs, L 35,000. With regard to this item r ho might say that the province had been treated somewhat badly by its neighbors, for a very large portion of the goods consumed on the West Coast had paid duty in Otago and Nelson. That- reduced tho amount of the revenue which should rightly belong to the province. There were also gold export duty, L4tf,ooo ; miners' rights, licences, fees, and fines, L 40.00 0; auctioneers' licences, L4OO ; wharfage dues, L 2,000, making a total of L 122,400. To this he would add L 50,000 to arise from the proceeds of land sales. In the last session of the General Assembly, an Act was passed amendiug the land regulations of the province, by which power was given to establish land districts, with land boards ,' to sell land in, those districts. Tho Government wore about to carry out that Act in Westland, but they did not intend to postpone tho sale of town lands at Hokitika or Grey mouth. lie had been asked by the member for the West Coast (Mr Prosser) on what principlo the Government proposed to sell these town lands. v By law it was' provided that town lauds should be put up to auction, and it was enacted by the Goldfields Act of the last session that lands sold for business sites should be sold by auction. He had proposed before the session at Wellington that the occupants should take the sites at valuation by arbitration, or if any did not buy, tluy.sh.culd be allowed the value of their improvements. In the Goldfields Act, however, wh\ch he had mentioned, a clause was inserted by an Otago member to the effect that it ' should be lawful to assess improvements yinv in town lands on goldfields, when such lands were offered for sale, and the V/ amount of valuation should bo added to the upset price, and to be paid to the occupant. The Government hoped that Hokitika would bo open for sale almost immediately, and the Greymouth very soon after ;' it was only waiting for the reserves to be confirmed by the Council. Of course no rural lands could behold on a goldfield, oxcept it was withdrawn by proclamation from the district. This would be done where desirable and the land would be set up at L 2 an acre, in small holdings. Th^ amount ' from land sales Avas put down at L 50,00 0; but if the receipts were less, the Government would take care still to keep the ex enditure within tho re • venue. He would now mention the estimated expenditure for the remainder of the current year : — Commissioner's department, Ll,ooo ; Treasurer's department, Waste Land Board, L 60 0; Surveys, L 10,5 5 1; Engineer's depart ment L 285 2; Administration of Justice, L 18,535 ; Hospital and Charitable Aid, L 5,97 0; harbor, L1,G50. He would say something with regard to the gold escort expens?, L 10,402 18s lOd. Ho had not the least doubt that those persons would be most severe on the Government for establishing the escort ' who had been most clamorous for it. It was tho duty of the Government, no doubt, to consult public opinion to a certain extent, but they would not have 'started the escort unless they had thought it desirable to try the experiment. The hopes given by tho banks here had not boon realised to the extent expecicd ; but they should not give it up at once because nothing was brought back on tho first trip. Ho was still in hopes that the. escort would bo made use of ; at auy rate, if tho expense had been incurred in vain, it would convince those who had been clamorous for an escort of one thing which no amount of argument could have done, viz., that no escort was needed. One of tho banks stated that it would send gold qfby the escort if tho Government .' would take a considerable amount of responsibility; but it was not customary in these cases to do so, and the' Government did not think it justifiable. The expenso was great, but if the escort wa6 to be a success, which it might bo yet, it was necessary, to have it most efficient ; the Government had, however, been as economical as was compatible with efficiency. On the pther hand, if tho escort should not jje ft /mcceafi, tho money would n.os b$

thrown away, except, perhaps, that spent on the pack saddles. The men, with the horses, would form a body of mounted police, and tho buildings erected could be sold for fully what they cost ; but still tlu) Government proposed to givo the experiment a fair trial before, filially abandoning it. Tho next item of expenditure, L 26,306 Is sd,\vas for public buildings. Part of them wero already in hand rtiulthe remainder would bo commenced as the revenue accrued. Tho samo remark applied to the item, L 7865 5s Id, for pvblic works. The sum of L7OOO had already been spent on the stock road to Browning's Puss, and part of the expense only of the Wcsthmd share of tho expense of the road from Hokitika to Arthur's Pass would be charged on these Estimates this year; the remainder would be charged noxt year. This was a principle which the Westland members should admit, viz., that that district should bear a portion of tho expense of public works which wero for the general bdnefit of tho province. This road •would soon be completed, and would placo Hokitika within two days' communication of Cliristchurch, and would, moreover, be passable at all seasoiis for stock ; while it was very doubtful whether the Rakaia road would be pusable except for a few months in tho year. lie was sure it was the general wish of tho Council that in all these matters they should have tho benefit of the aid, counsel, and local knowledge of the Westland members ; in conclusion, Mr. Hall moved the first item.

Mr. Prosscr suggested that progress should bo reported, in order that he might hayo time to consider tho estimates brought down before speaking on them.

The first item, GoldfielcVCommission, LI 000, was passed accordingly, and the Council resumed.