THE . Wellington Independent. "Nothing extenuate; Nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1862. THE CUSTOMS REVENUE IN DANGER

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1799, 2 December 1862, Page 2

THE . Wellington Independent. "Nothing extenuate ; Nor set down aught in malice." TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1862. THE CUSTOMS REVENUE IN DANGER

In the " good old days " it was customary «,o write leaders only when there was a dearth of intelligence. The modern practice is not only to serve up an editorial dish every issue, but even to apologise, if, in consequence of some very important intelligence, the. space, which the great " we " had devoted to the elucidation of his own opinions, is obliged to be trenched upon. And even this is considered to be more often the result of idleness than anything else — ho properly managed journal ever suffering more than its sub-leaders to be " crowded out." We sometimes think this modern custom " more honored in the breach than in th^ observance," especially when there is. so ; much news as appears, fo* instance, in our paper :of to s duy. „ .' - • '* ' The .weather has just as much effect the working of the, bruin as on that oF.ihe^bodys The former gets into a state of lassitude equally wi)h ,$£ laiteVj'aod like it requires something

out of the common way to rouse it into activity. A good grievance, something that will provide gall for ink, is a godsend ; thus however, loth we might have been a few minutes ago to enter upon our customary duty, however much we might have tben needed chaining to the our, we have now taken up our pen with alacrity' and are [prepared to pull with a will. If we have not a great grievance to dilate upon, we have at least one in prospect — such an one as was never heard of before. Verily we are requited. We recently laughed at our young neighbor across the strait, now little Marlborough is beginning to "bite his thumb" at us. A few weeks ago we congratulated our readers on the Customs duties, for the month bf October, shewing-' a very large increase over the corresponding month of the year previously. To day we may couliuue the congratulations, for we are told that the receipts for the month just ended have been unusually large, Bnt in doing so there is a dead fly in our joy, which tends very much to mar it. Wejokiugly culled attention, recently, to the published statement of Customs duties collected at the Port of Piclon, during the September quarter, amounting exactly to one guinea and a half. Well ! perhaps we won't joke aboat it any more, for the good folk at Picton appear to have found out a very easy way of increasing it, and that too at our' expense. The Superintendent of Mailborough has called the attention of the General Government, to a part of the 6lh clause of the " Surplus Bevenue Act, i 858," which he thinks entitles him to claim that the duty, paid here on articles consumed in his province, should to some extent be remitted into his treasury chest. The clause, upon which the claim is founded, certainly seem to favor this unexpected and altogether unprecedented demand, and is as follows — If any portion of the ordinary revenue shall bo received, or any part of the cost of the departments and services specified in the schedule, except as therein is excepted, shall be paid, in respect of more than one province, such an equitable apportionment thereof shall be made between the several provinces interested, as the Governor in Council shall from time to time direct. Whatever this clause may appear to mean, we are quite certain that the Assembly never that such a question of account as that which the Superintendent of Marlborough (Capt Baillie) raises, should ever be seriously entertained. To settle the Customs accounts on such a basis would simply be impracticable, and if the Colonial Treasurer brings the question before the Cabinet, we hope Mr Bell will out with that little phrase of bis '* I tell you you can't do it." But, meanwhile, there appears to be some thoughts of seeing whether it can be done or not, and we understand that Captain Carkeek, a little while since, received instructions to furnish the necessary data, which we believe he has done. Of course every one of the nine provinces will want to know how they stand affected with the other eight, and if Collectors of Customs can furnish the necessary data fur such an adjustment of accounts, then even the dullest of them will be far too clever for this colony, they will be worth any money at Someiset House, if only occasionally to check the work of thatjiron calculating machine, which day and night is doing the arithmetic of the most accurate human intellect. But though the Government has called for the returns, we are persuaded that no action ttill be taken on them, until the question has been referred to the Assembly. The Assembly never could have intended anything of the kind, and though a keen mind delighting in subtleties might see in the clause above quoted, a good groundwork for the claim which the Marlborough Superintendent makes, yet every man of business would laugh at the impossibility of carrying such a system into execution as far as the Customs is concerned, and say that the only practical rule is, that in whatsoever Province the duty is paid, to that province tie duty must belong.