B.—No. la.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

11

sterling. For it is necessary to take the discount into consi- pensee. A bargain is a bargain, all the world over. But, when deration, to bring up the figures to an equation. I mean, questions cognate to, and arising out of a former bargain come that the amount of territorial revenue received by the South, to be settled it is not only competent but often necessary to in excess of that received by the North, will (if three trace the effects of such a bargain. millions sterling be borrowed) about equal the amount of the Sir, I have nothing more to add ;I am afraid I have by this debt that will then have been incurred on account of Che time wearied the Committee—l am quite sure I have wearied war in the North Island. The figures are significant, and the myself—without, however, exhausting the various important following question forces itself on our notice, " But for the subjects which have come under consideration, and certainly policy of 1856, would the loan of 1863 have been necessary?" without doing them justice. 1 can only commend the financial The imports and exports and ordinary revenue tables of this proposals of the Government as a whole to the favourable statement also contain an instructive lesson, for they show that consideration of the Committee; believing them to be just and during the first half of the period under examination, up to conciliatory, and therefore wise ; and moreover calculated, if the era of gold discoveries in the South, the North not only accepted in the same spirit in which they are intended to be kept pace with the South, but, for the greater part of that submitted by the Government, to impart a substantial character period, contributed much the largest share of the revenues of to the credit of New Zealand which it has never yet attained, the country. It would be well to bear in mind that prudent °lJy remains, Mr. Carleton, for me to move, "That a sum people act as though " what has been may be again." not exceeding £5,000 be granted lo Hoi- Majesty to provide for Let me not, however, be misunderstood. I guard myself the reception of His Koyal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, against being supposed to have raised this question, cither on on the occasion of his visit to the Colony of New Zealand." behalf of the Government or.independently with any arriere

Return I. RETURN of the GROSS CUSTOMS REVENUE for each Quarter, from September Quarter, 1857, to the Quarter ended the 30th June, 1867, inclusive.

Financial Yeae 1857-8. Financial Yeae 1862-3. September Quarter ... ... £31,251 "| December „ 34,730 V £138,998 September Quarter ... ... £94,754 December „ ... ••• 118,526 i- £488,522 March „ 127,465 June „ ... ... 147,777 J March „ 31,126 June „ 41,891 J Financial Yeae 1858-9. Financial Yeae 1863-4. September Quarter ... ... £40,420 December „ ... ... 38,199 £160,836 March „ 41,884 June „ 40,333 J September Quarter ... ... £145,594 "^ December „ ... ... 171,001 [- £617,002 March „ 147,778 June „ 152,629 J Financial Yeae 1859-60. Financial Yeae 1864-5. September Quarter ... ... £41,491 "j December „ ... ... 44,607 | |. £178,117 March „ ... ... 46,298 June „ 45,721 J September Quarter ... ... £140,872 December „ ... ... 150,995 } £643,297 March „ 167,690 June „ 183,740 J Financial Yeae 1860-1. Financial Yeab 1865-6. September Quarter ... ... £45,790 December „ ... ■• 51,359 ■ £204,612 March „ ... ... 52,236 June 55,227 J September Quarter ... ... £180,160 "| December „ 198,418 | i- £796,227 March „ 208,794 j June „ 208,855 J Financial Yeae 1861-2. Financial Yeae 1866-7. September Quarter ... ... £66,935 1 December ,, ... ... 86,406 - £339,393 March „ ... ... 98,050 June „ ... ... 87,942 J September Quarter ... ... £199,452 1 December „ ... ... 227,253 | }- £864,668 March „ 220,183 June „ 217,780 J Custom House, Wellington, lGtli August, 18G7. William Seed, Secretary and Inspector.