8.—2

10

first named, the proceeds of land sales will enable the amount to be paid off in about seven years from this date. I will now invite the attention of the Committee to the Revenue and Expenditure of the colony for the past year, beginning with the transactions in THE CONSOLIDATED FUND. In laying before the Committee the results of the past year in regard to the question of Revenue and Expenditure, I cannot, I think, do better than follow the practice of my predecessor. I shall therefore endeavour to show you, as briefly and as clearly as I can, what were his anticipations as to these two subjects, and what are the actual results. Beginning, then, with the anticipated surplus of 1873-74, estimated to amount to £207,461 16s. 4d., I have to state that, owing to some of the estimated assets not having been recovered, the receipts under that head have fallen short by £2,602 9s. 2d. On the other hand, the liabilities have proved to be less than the estimate by £641 6s. 2d. Setting these two items against each other, we find that the surplus of 1873-74, estimated at £207,461165. 4d., proves to be £205,500 13s. 4d., or £1,961 3s. less than was anticipated. EEVENTTE OF THE TEAR 1874-75. The revenue of the year just closed, as actually received up to the 30th June, has exceeded that of the previous year by £184,785 19s. 2d., and has exceeded the estimate by £108,402165. sd. Such an increase should, I think, be amply sufficient to reassure the most timid; and a careful examination of the revenue receipts for the five years since 1870, when the Public Works and Immigration scheme was adopted, will certainly satisfy all reasonable people that the colony has steadily progressed since that policy was inaugurated. The Consolidated Eevenue for the five years stands thus:— £ s. d. 1870-71 ... ... 936,188 5 10 1871-72 ... ... 1,031,082 18 7 1872-73 ... ... 1,119,904 3 4 1873-74 ... ... 1,420,216 17 3 1874-75 ... ... 1,605,002 16 5

Tabe B (1) ; pages 8, 9.

Table H, page 29,

I give the actual receipts of the year 1874-75 under their several heads, as compared with those of the previous year, and show the increase upon each.

The table which I have just presented contrasts most favourably with the similar table presented on all previous occasions. Its mechanical simplicity alone should commend it, for it will be observed that, as no one item of revenue shows a decrease, it has been found unnecessary to provide the column usually devoted to the exhibition of those objectionable items.

Heads or Receipt. Revenue of the tear 1874-75. Retenue of the yeae 1873-74. Increase. Customs —Duties, Rents, Seizures, &c. Bonded Stores ... Fees, Marine Act, including Light Dues „ Arms Act „ Sundry Acts Stamp Duties Postal... Telegraphic ... Judicial Fees and Fines ... Registration of Land „ Deeds „ Births, Deaths, and Marriages Fees on Issue of Crown Grants „ Miscellaneous Incidental Receipts £ s. A. 1,223,614 3 2 4,872 10 2 10,247 10 2 2,069 18 9 2,777 18 6 110,641 0 3 72,037 0 0 55,552 2 9 32,263 14 10 11,521 7 0 15,833 2 0 4,845 8 3 6,459 16 6 2,188 3 10 50,079 0 3 £ s. d. 1,111,942 9 8 4,285 17 2 8,877 3 2 2,039 19 0 2,357 12 3 94,656 O 5 60,535 18 2 51,082 18 9 28,459 17 3 9,625 1 1 15,091 0 6 3,719 17 0 4,988 1 10 1,219 14 3 21,335 6 9 £ s. d. 111,671 13 6 586 13 0 1,370 7 0 29 19 9 420 6 3 15,984 19 10 11,501 1 10 4,469 4 0 3,803 17 7 1,896 5 11 742 1 6 1,125 11 3 1,471 14 8 968 9 7 28,743 13 6 Totals... 1,605,002 16 5 1,420,216 17 3 184,785 19 2