THE WESTLAND ESTIMATES.

West Coast Times, Issue 579, 2 August 1867, Page 3

THE WESTLAND ESTIMATES.

(fuom thi: west coast times, jcly Ifl.) Tun manner in which the Westland Estimates have been dealt with by the Provincial Council demands something more than a passing notice. So undisguised has been the spirit of hostility to the district, aud so flagrant the breach of faith, that we venture to affirm the history of the colony can show no parallel. The original Estimates of>expenditure as introduced by- Mr Stewart did not equal by many thousands the estimated revenue ; and the estimate of revenue was a fairly moderate one. A sanguine politician would have placed, it much higher. Mr Stewart's next step was to announce a great change in the ministerial "policy." Westland >was to be called ou to contribute from her revenue L 26,000 to the Railwayand Harbor Fund of Canterbury. Had this scheme been carried into effect the remaining estimated revenue would have gone far to cover, the contemplated expenditure. The House, however, rejected the motion on the ground that it had no power so to deal with goldfields' revenue. There can be no doubt that in coming to this conclusion the Council waa in the right; had the ministerial proposal been as-

acnted to, the result unM have been the disallowance of the* Appropriation Ordinance. That point beitig disposed of, and the Goldfields Act, not <"th» Council, was our friend ou the occasion r Mr Stewart proposed to carry the estimates as they originally stood. We were prepared for a good deal- of cavilKug o» the part of Eastland members, through sheer love of talking/ and we looked for msuy remonstrances oa the part of Westland members, on tho ground of the inequality between- re* venile and expenditure — the latter beingso much leas than the former — and secondly, because of the unskilful manner of the distribution; but we certainly were not prepared! for what actually took place. Scarce an item was proposed in Committee of Supply that was not at once assailed by threefourths of the members present. Argument there n-as very little, if any. It was sufficient that the Government asked for one sum for the House to vote a far smaller. Tlierc was no thought of a juster distribution of the lump sum, but simply a sweeping reduction on every item. To such'-an extent was this carried, that some of the votes are all but worthless for the purposes to which they are intended to be applied. We fairly confess that we arc unable to ' find a reason for this extraordinary line of action, unless we suppose that Eastland hopes to have appropriated to her own use every sixpence which has been refused to Westland. It must, we apprehend, be either that or a senseless spirit of opposition which has influenced Eastland members. We have first of all the admitted principle that all our revenue should be expended on the district. The Christchurch clique deride the idea of wishing to make money out of us ; we have next a moderate estimate of revenue for the ensuing nine months, and, lastly, we have an estimate of expenditure for the same period, leaving an eaormouß balance on the credit side of the ledger. Oa these data the Provincial Council coolly proceeds to cut down every item, without in any case showing that the sum set down was .too much for the purpose, or that the purpose itself was objectionable,! Let us take only one instance. Mr Stewart proposed L 38,000 for public works. A reduction -of L 15,000 was moved by Mr Montgomery, and Mr Jollie follows suit by "deprecating the large sum set down on Che estimates for roads on the West Coast" ! Mr Aynsley proposed a less reduction — L 9500, but the first amendment was carried, the Ayes being 19 and the Noes 9. Now, as the estimate of revenue was a moderate one — it has not been objected to in the Council or outside— as the estimated expenditure was within (jhc revenue, and as iv no instance ha* a proposed item been increased, it follows

that the Council intends that in this case H 5,000 shall be kept back ironi Westland. Until when, we would ask. and why ? It cannot be contended that if the mouey is forthcoming we can afford to allow it to remain to our credit until the next Estimates are placed before the Council. Westland is not so far advanced in civilization that she can neglect the forming of roads and building of bridges. If the estimated revenue were ten times as great as it is, there would be ample employment for the whole of it, and a sufficiency of work remaining for succeeding generations. Why, then, we again ask, is this sura to be withheld ? Let it be remembered that we have only taken this item as an example of the method pursued by the Council. The difference between the total amount voted and the original Estimates is very great ; added to the estimated surplus for the nine months, as shown by the Estimates, it is enormous. When are we to receive the .benefit of it ? The Council has already saddled us with the whole of the interest on the overdrawn Provincial Account, amounting in round numbers to L7OOO, on the plea that a portion of that over-

drawn account should be debited to the district. But there has been no settle-

ment between the two sides of the province. Westland denies the debt altogether, and Eastland has failed to state aud establish this so-called provincial claim. Until that, has been done — and we assert that it cannot bo done — the whole of the revenue collected in this part of the province should be spent here, including our share of the Customs.. We cannot recognise the moral right of the Council to tamper thus with our resources — to hold back many thousand* of pounds which are urgently required to promote the welfare of Westland. 'Why should the Eastern part of Canterbury condemn us to inefficient public, sorviccs, to impassable tracks, : ; to harbors without wharves, when tho estimated revenue show's that funds will be available for improving all of them. Half a loaf is truly better than no bread but if the whole loaf is our own we cannot surely be blamed for wishing to eat it, especially if a supply for the future can be depended on. At all events the proverb can scarcely be urged to justify what maybe "mildly termed illegal detention, but what a plain spoken man or a police constable, would designate by an uglier name. Ths little game will be played out, the farce will be ended, when these thousands are placed against Canterbury's overdrawn bank account — overdrawn to pay for works executed to satisfy the vanity, and blind a^rice of Christchurch traders. "Vwstland members have striven creditably for the interest of their constituents during this session, but it is strange that not one of them has urged this argument on the Council, that so long as Westlatid estimates of expenditure are kept we'll within estimated revenue, there can be no good reason advanced for cutting down — that is if Eaetland wjoaee to work with clean hands, "■

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