Untitled

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 724, 15 October 1870, Page 2

A statement of the receipts and expenditure of the Public Accounts of New Zealand lias been published for the financial year 1869-1870. The receipts, under the Consolidated Fund, amounted to £1,049,919 6s 6d, and the o*pcma;t>ure iu t -ei,093,i52 17s Bd, which includes £187,051 Ss sd, being liabilities and engagements for the previous year 186S-1869. The payments to the var'ous Provinces were as follow e:—Auckland, £46,712 15s 8d; Taranaki, £530 Ss lOd; Wellington, £14,634 18s 9d; Hawke's Bay, £4,051 12s 5d ; kelson, £27,32S 16s 9d; Marlborough, £405 0s 3d; Canterbury, £7,295 0s lid; Westland, £20,66S 17s 8d ; Otago, £60,560 10s lOd ; Total, ISB,IBB 2s Id. The remaining sources of Provincial revenue,, derivable from the Special Fund and receipts under Land and G-oldfields' Eevenues, were distributed as follows:—Special Fund, —Auckland, £5,781 3s lid; Nelson, £621 14s sd; Canterbury, £3,406 13s Sd; Westland, £35,603 7s 9d; Otago, £6,830 6s 3d; Total, £55,243 6s. Land Revenue, —Auckland, £3,957 14s Id ; Taranaki, £97 8s 3d; £8,130 2s; Hawke's Bay, £4,783 7s sd; Nelson, £5,302 17s; Marlborough, £4,978 7s 9d; Canterbury, £73,294252 d; Westland, £3,751 12s 6d; Otago, £95,409 4s 7d; Southland, £18,103 9s 8d; Total, £217,80S 5s sd. G-oldfields Eevenue, Auckland, £29,538 ISs 9d; Wellington, £4 10s 9d; Nelson, £29,224 17s 2d; Marlborough £599 4s sd; Otago, £38,752 10s lid; Southland, £376 6s 3d; Total, £98,526 8s 3d.

The above amounts have been paid over to the various provinces, subject to a very trifling deduction for departmental and judicial charges amounting, in the case of Otago, to £1,70113s 4d, and of Nelson, to £533 Gs Bd. The receipts of the Province of Nelson from the above sources may be summarised as follows : Provincial share of

Consolidated Fund £42,472 9 2 Less liability for pre-

vious year

15,143 12 7

£27,328 16 9

Land Eevenue, less charges 5,052 17 1 Groldfields' Eevenue, less charges ... 29,008 2 3

Total,

£61,389 16 1

The above figures ■will show at a glance the very insignificant proportion of revenue contributed by that portion of the Province outside the goldfields, after deducting our fair proportion of Customs' and Land revenues, and the entire Goldfields' revenue.

In the K.M. Court, yesterday, a few civil cases were disposed of. In the case of Fair v. Davis, being a claim for £o ss, the value of labor performed by the plaintiff, judgment went for tbo defendant; ar!d m Simpson v. Tompcrly, being an action to recover .£1 for coach hire, the case was adjourned, on the application of Mr Pitt for

the purpose of producing a requisite witness, as the defendant pleaded part ownership of the entire coaching establishment. The case was set down for hearing on the 18th instant. Several mining applications for races, dams, &c, were heard in tbo Warden's Court.

The Bank of New Zealand, Westport, shipped, on Thursday last by the steamer Kennedy for Hokitika, 1571 ozs 14 dwts 4 grs gold, the export duty upon which amounted to J2196 l Js 4d.

The specified time for tho completion of the contract for the Westport and Orawaiti tramway expires on Saturday next. The work will be completed on that date, unless any delay is occasioned through the late delivery of rails. The balance of the timber required is expected by the steamer Kennedy on her arrival from Hokitika.

Tho Provincial Government have decided to abandon entirely the collection of wharfage dues in Westport, and the lease of tho upper wharf will, we believe, be submitted to auction on or about the 81st instant.

The much enduring patience of the residents in Bright street, will shortly be rewarded, as it is the intention of the Government to metal the street, and render it passable when the tramway is laid. For the past three or four years the condition of-this thickly populated street has been a disgrace to tho Government, and to those who resided in it.

We regret to state that the condition of Mr Chapman, who was referred to in our last issue as still suffering from injuries received some months buck, rendered his removal to the Hospital necessary on Thursday last. He was brought down on a stretcher by a number of miners from Giles Terrace in a delirious condition, and up to the present, we are informed, shows no sign of amendment. Mr H. J. Price, of Sydney, brother to Mr Price, of Westport and Charleston, is now taking cartes de visite and other portraits at Mr Hartman's studio in Molesworth street, where he will be engaged for a few days prior to commencing business in Wanganui. Mr Price's intimate acquaintance witli the art and his skill as a photographer have been favorably noticed in other portions of the Colony. We are in possesion of nothing reliable in respect to the prospects of the alleged new discovery at Wheelbarrow Gully. The locality is stated to be in the neighborhood of the Waimangaroa.

A package of books, containing 134 volumes was forwarded by Mr Munson to Charleston, on Thursday, for the local Library Committee. Accounts received from the Murray Beet's continue of a highly satisfactory character. AMr Alex M'Leod, just arrived from that locality, states that payable st ne is found to extend in a northerly direction and instances the '* find" of a lot of specimens which are estimated to yield a minimum rate of fifty ounces to the ton, while the average stone, it is believed, will yield eight ounces to the ton. Wo are also informed that the proposed establishment of a monthly Warden's Court at the Inangahua has given great satisfaction to the miners as affording a saving of time, and substituting for the very arduous task of a journey to the Ahaura the comparatively easy route to the Junction of the Inangahua. The funeral of John Hugill, the poor follow who met his death by drowning, at the Kanieri, was one of the largest that has been seen in Hokitika for some time, there being fully 200 persons, including Freemasons and Odd-fellows, of which orders the deceased was a much respected

There has been another stoppage of the survey at Manawatu. The natives opposed to the sale of the land pulled up twentyfive transverse pegs. They say they would not object to the traverse of the river, as part of the general survey, but would not allow any lines to be cut across their land.

A number of boys have arrived at Wanganui who are to bo employed at flax mills in that locality. The annual report of the Town Board of Wanganui shows that the receipts for the past year were £1268 15s, and that the total expenditure was £1250 18s.

The Mail says:—" Nelson will be well represented at the next metropolitan race meeting, to be held at Cnristclvurch on the 7th, Sth, and 9th of November. A few clays ago we reported the shipment by Mr Bedwood of five horses to take part in these races, and the Airedale this morning took away Mr Stafford's team, consisting of Magenta, Lacenfeed, Mariner, a three-year-old colt out of Maria by Towton, from whome great things are expected, and Vulcan. The principal events of the meeting are the Maiden Plate of £IOO, Canterbury Cup of £3OO, Derby Stakes of £l5O, Jockey Club Handicap of £l2O, Christchurch Plate of £l5O, and Metropolitan Handicap of £IOO, in all of which sweepstakes are added, varying in amount from £5 to £20."