BANQUET TO THE HON J. YOGEL AT DUNEDIN.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIX, Issue 3995, 7 January 1874, Page 2

BANQUET TO THE HON J. YOGEL AT DUNEDIN.

DumsDisr, Tuesday. The banquet, to Mr Yogel last evening, was a great success. The Superintendent was in the chair. The Mayor was vicechairman, supported on the right by the Governor and on the left by Mr Yogel. The captain and officers of the French warship Vire were present, and most of the leading citizens. .- - - His Excellency, in returning thanks, ' . made a capital speech. :He hoped in the course of his term of office to earn and deserve some portion of the respect which they paid to his office. He wished to live quietly among the colonistsj and to familiarise himself with their institutions, feelings, and character, rather than pass through the various cities in the colony in what was termed state progress. He spoke in high terms of Mr Vogel's abilities, and said it must be most encouraging to a public man to. find himself sustained in his policy by the mass of his fellowcountrymen. He (the Governor) had been struck by the vast resources of the Province. He spoke in favor of the University and public schools, and regretted that there should be any want in point of numbers of such scholars. The gaol was by no means what it ought to be. Ha impressed upon them the necessity of a reformatory. The Chairman proposed Mr Vbgel'a health in an eloquent and exhaustive speech, dwelling upon Mr Vogel's career with great minuteness. He then informed the company that £600 had been subscribed, and would be laid out in purchasing a piece of plate and a testimonial . to the Premier. Mr Yogel expressed lus thanks for the splendid demonstration, and said that he was greatly gratified at receiving such a mark of approval from the place in which he commenced his political career. After referring at some length to the educational and other institutions of the province, ha asked the meeting to allow him to enter upon some matters which were most important, not only to Dunedin, but to the colony. He complained that there had been much misrepresentation as to the indebtedness of the colony. So many statements had been hazarded as to what might or would be the indebtedness of ' New Zealand in certain circumstances,, that the impression had grown in some quarters that we did not actually know what was the amount of our debt ; but if . different persons dealt with different conditions the results would, of course, not agree. The absohxte position of the* finances of the colony was easily explained. On the 30th June last theamount of colonial and provincial indebt-, edness, after deducting the accrued sink- . ing fund, was £9,620,000, 'of which £3,156,000 was provincial. Although' it was quite true that the colony was liable- - for the. provincial indebtedness, that debt was secured upon the land revenue of the colony. When he stated that the land revenue from July Ist, 1872, to 20th December, 1873, exclusive of gold and native revenue, amounted to £1,370,000^,. - it would beseen that the provincial in- „>':.;■ debtedness need not be regarded as a very serious liability as long as it had at its V back the land revenue of the colony. • > There remained to be negotiated on ihe.r^ ,30th June last £2,352,000 of authonsVaj^t; loans, making with the amount fo&iofe^i

9" ' " ' *'"*' stated £11,974,000. There must be added £1,886,900 required to complete railways authorised up to June 1872, thus making a total of £13,800,000, which would be the debt when all these railways, namely 767 miles, were completed, when a million had been spent on immigration, £200,300 upon native lands, £400,000 epon roads in the North Island, and £300,000 upon the goldfield works. Then the debt would amount to £13,860,000 ; but that was not our present debt. The amount stated included six millions for public works, of which, on the 30th June last, only about two millions had been expended. These figures did not include the cost of the railways authorised last session. It was absurd to suppose that a trunk line through each island could be constructed for two or three million pounds. Such lines would cost not less seven or eight millions. To our ability to meet increased liabilities he would state the amount of the revenue for the six months ending December, for the years 1870, 1871, 1872, and 1873. It was in 1870, £474,000 ; in 1871, £485,000 ;in 1872, £494,000 ; and in 1873, £625,000. Thus, during the first half of the present financial year, there was an increase over the the corresponding period of 1872-3 of £131,000, or equal to an annual increase of £262,000. If then the public debt was increasing, our means of meeting it were also increasing. The land reven ue sho wed even more extraordinary progress. In 1870 it amounted to £194,000; in 1871 to £230,000 ; in 1872, £500,000 ; in 1873, £1,116,000. The receipts last year were in fact more than those of the previous three years. Mr Yogel referred to ihe speech he made during last session, and which was reported in Hansard, in which he showed that the percentage of the burden of the public debt compared with the average earnings of the people, was not heavy, especially when it was considered that the indebtedness of New Zealand represented not only an ordinary public debt, but was a debt including the most of the public works, and part of which was secured by an immense landed estate. He contended that the only true test of the burden of a public debt was the manner in which it pressed upon the earnings of the community. Mr Yogel dilated upon the importance of immigration. He urged that the Agent-General had a great many difficulties to contend with, and that an absent man should receive every consideration. He (Mr Yogel) hoped that the new system would work well. In October the nominations were 1130 ; in November, 2223 ; while a part return for December showed 2339. It might be depended upon that the Government attached the very greatest importance to the successful prosecution of immigration. After explaining the difficulties to be encountered in organising a large department like that of Public Works and its wide diffusion, the hon gentleman submitted the following statement, showing the progress of railway works throughout the colony : — Kaipara to Riverhead, 17 miles, under contract ; Riverhead to Auckland, 23 miles — surveys prepared for contract ; Auckland to Onehunga, open and nearly completed ; Auckland to Mercer, 46 miles, under contract ; Mercer, southward about 40 miles, surveys prepared for contract ; Napier to Pakipaki, 18 miles, under contract ; Pakipaki to Waipawa, and Waipawa to Waipukaran, 27 miles, under contract in part, the rest next month ; Waitara to Kew Plymouth, 11 miles, under contract ; Wanganui to Manawatu, 58 miles, and Wellington to Upper Hutt, 14 miles, under contract ; Upper Hutt to Featherston, 25 miles, surveys being prepared for contracts ; Nelson to Foxhill, 13 miles, under contract, and 5£ miles ready for contract ; Picton to Blenheim, 17 miles, under contract ; Brunner to Greymouth, 7 miles, under contract. North of Christchurch — Addington to Rangiora, 19 miles, open; Rangiora to Kowai, 15 miles, under contract. South of Christchurch — Selwyn to Rakaia, 13 miles, open ; Rakaia to Ashburton, 18 miles, under contract ; Ashburton to Temuka, 32 miles, advertised for contract ; Temuka to Timaru, 9 miles, under contract ; Timaru to Waitaki, 41 miles, surveys for contract being prepared ; Rangiora to Oxford, 7 miles, and 14 miles under contract ; Kaiapoi to Eyreton, 14 miles, surveys for contract prepared ; Rollestonto Malvern, 35 miles, under contract ; Racecourse to Southbridge, 34 miles, under contract ; Waitaki Bridge, tender called for completion in 18 months ; Waitaki to Moeraki, 39 miles, under contract ; Moeraki to Dunedin, 52 miles, surveys for contracts being prepared ; Dunedin to Clutha, 51 miles, under contract ; Port Chalmers to Dunedin, 9 miles', open j Clutha to Mataura, 50 miles, surveys for contracts being prepared ; Mataura to Invercargill, 40 miles, under contract ; Oamaru to Waireka, preliminary surveys only ; Waipaha to Cromwell, preliminary surveys only; Tokomairiro to Lawrence, 22 miles, under contract ; Winton to Kingston, 70 miles, 23 miles under contract and plans ready for calling for 'tenders for the balance. Mr Yogel next spoke of the success of the pleasures establishing the Government Annuities and Insurance Department, the Land Transfer Department, and the office of Public Trustee. On the question of provincial borrowing he spoke as follows : — " You are aware that one of the most difficult questions we had to deal with last session — and here, I know, I am treading on delicate ground — was that of provincial borrowing. I daresay it would be very interesting to many now present, and to many in other parts of the colony also, if I were able to indicate precisely the opinions of the Government upon the manner in which this question should be dealt with hereafter. But I am not going to do anything of the kind. I shall only say that I think there is great virtue in the old doctrine of 'leaving well alone,' and that I think a very great deal of attention should be paid to the representations which are made, that by unduly forcing forward the prosecution of public works, there is liability of interfering with private enterprise, by the absorption of too much of the labor which should be available for the prosecution of that enterprise. I think it is worthy of consideration that it will be well when those large works of which the colony has charge are being brought to a close, and a certain amount of labor is consequently disengaged, that there should be other works ready to be proceeded witli so as to take up that disengaged labor. It is well, too, that we should recollect that whatever may be the intrinsic credii of any country or colony, that credit it liable to be disturbed by questions whollj outside the scope and influence of th« country or colony concerned. We shoulc recollect that this colony has assuraec g very large responsibilities, which i has the right to desire to see carriec out before increasing or extending them But even admitting and recognising al these considerations, I by no means desin you should understand it to be my opinioi that we should lay down an arbitrar; rule by which to deny to places interestei

s the construction of works which their s own local conditions render imperatively i necessary. I have wished merely to im- . press upon you that in coming j,to a I decision upon this question the Government will be guided by conservative considerations." Mr Yogel next proceeded at great length to compare the results of the land laws in Canterbury and Otago, showing that statistics from every quarter evidenced the greatest possible advantage in favor of the Canterbury system. He considered that the question which was at present of the most importance to the colony, was as to the conservation of the existing forests, and the planting of forests for the future. He dwelt upon the extravagant wastefulness of the mode in which our forests were destroyed rather than used, and upon the fact that much of the timber really used was so dealt with as not to secure a just reputation for New Zealand woods. The matter generally demanded urgent attention, and the Government would be bound to deal with it. Another qtiestion of very great importance to New Zealand was as to the absorption of the trade of the South Sea Islands. He considered that the colony was naturally suited to absorb that trade ; and while not at liberty to indicate possible proposals, he believed that Parliament must at no distant date take the question into hand. That trade would not only bring an immense commerce to our shores, but it would make New Zealand a large manufacturing country. In conclusion, the hon gentleman declared that it had for a long while past been to him an object of aspiration to have a humble share in raising New Zealand to the position of the first colony of Australasia.

Auckland, Tuesday. Mr Alexander Saunders, mining agent, reports : — Buyers : Bank of New Zealand, £16 10s ; National Bank, £3 3s ; National Insurance, 21s ; Black Angel, 22s ; Caledonians, £11 ; Moanatairi, 395. Sellers : National Bank, £3 5s ; Moanatairi, 40s. A large body of armed Natives left for Waikato to-day. It is believed that it is intended to employ them on the railway at the frontier. The Superintendent turns the first sod of the railway opposite Ngaruawahia on Saturday next. The Colonial Secretary will be present. John Kerr, a pensioner, has been burned to death at Onehunga. A fourroomed house was destroyed. The other inmates escaped through the window. The origin of the fire is a mystery. Napier, Tuesday. An important sale of Cotswold rams and shorthorn cattle will take place at Oakburne station, Wallingford, on Feb. 6. The annual ram fair will be held at Havelock on February 11. Nelson, Tuesday. At the Supreme Court civil sittings, the case of Donne v Lucas, the proprietor of the "Evening Mail," was heard to-day. The action was taken to recover £500 damages on account of the insertion, on The 10th July, of a libellous telegraphic report of Ives's speech to his constituents at Reefton. The telegram was inserted accidentally, and excised as soon as seen by the editor, and an apology published a few days later. Verdict for the plaintiff, one farthing damages. The AttorneyGeneral and Mr Acton Adams were for the plaintiff, and Mr Fell for the defendant. Christchuhch, Tuesday. It is rumored that the Hon E. W. Stafford is coming forward to contest the Superintendence. Mr John Ollivier, the Provincial Auditor, will be asked to offer himself. Report says that a number of gentlemen have offered to guarantee his expenses if he does so. Dr J. Berggren, Professor of the University of Lund, Sweden, has arrived here. He intends remaining twelve months in New Zealand, in order to investigate its botany for the Swedish Government. He intends to make Christchurch his head-q\iarters. The United Boating Club meets next Thursday to select crews for the Interprovincial Regatta. Rowing matters are very quiet. In opening the Criminal Sessions at the , Supreme Court, Mr Justice Gresson favorably reviewed the statutes passed last session, but deprecated their coming into operation so soon after receiving the Governor's assent, as it rendered it im- ! possible for the general public in parts of I the colony distant from the seat of Go- ' vernment to become acquainted with laws i which they are bound to obey. James Adamson, for forging and uttering, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. William Thompson, for house-breaking, was sentenced to five years. Walter Johnston, for larceny from a dwellinghouse, received a sentence of seven years. The prize medals for awards at the Interprovincial Exhibition of 1873 have arrive! from London. The design and workmanship are beautiful. The eleven selected to play the cricket match against Otago are :— Barnes, Barker, A. J. Cotterill, Dawe, E. Fowler, J. Fowler, Fuller, _ Monck, Moore, Souter, Wontner. It is a much weaker team than that played against Auckland. Lyttbltok, Tuesday. Sailed — Cyrus and Isabella for Newcastle.