The Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 176, 31 August 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 1865.

The Provincial Council met yesterday afternoon, when the Provincial Secretary informed the house that it was with regret lie observed by the news received from Wanganui that the fatal question of separation was again agitated. The manner in which Wanganui had been treated was most liberal* and he hoped the Council would sanction the withholding of the money voted for that district until the question was settled. It was to be regretted that they should be forced to take this question up, but it was one which ( if carried, would destroy the future prospects of this province. Those persons most active in getting up the separation agitation must acknowledge that Wanganui had received more than justice at the hands of the Council, and he had no doubt the people would yet be brought to acknowledge it ; and when the insane cry for separation gave way, the Treasurer would receive instructions to pay the sums granted for the benefit of that district. The Council might have to meet again before prorogation ; and if it became necessary to take action, he would be prepared with a resolution for their consideration ; but when the decision of the General Assembly on the Provinces Bill was arrived at, the question would probably be finally settled. The Town Board Bill was read a third time and pas Bed. nM £, Mr. Fitzherbert last night made his financial statement to a crowded house, and was listened to for three hours and a half with marked attention. We regret our *pace will not admit of more than a resume of the hon. gentleman's clear and comprehensive statement, which we take from this morning's Independent :— I ask permission (said the Colonial Treasurer) to recapitulate our financial measures and proposals, which are briefly these : — 1. To facilitate the auditing the public ac-

counts, and establish a control over the expentliture. j This we have regarded as the indispensable preliminary to the success of out other proposals. 2. To contract no fresh loans, except as far as that may he done by the aid of the Imperial guarantee, without adding to the annual liability of the colony already sanctioned in respect of interest. 3. To repeal the I/wi Appropriation Ac^, 1 8t>3, and reappropriate the balance. 4. To shorten the currency of the 30 years' debentures fiom 50 to 30 years, and increase the sinking fund. 5. To allocate to the provinces of the North Island the charges for the loan— expenditure incurred for permanent improvements. 6. To rugu.atu and consolidate provincial loans. 7 To carry surplus, when any, to next year's revenue account, and sul-ject it to appropriation, instead of making v a dividend among the provinces. 8. To treat all ordinary revenue as colonial revenue, and appropriate annually to Provinces a quota of the custom*. 9. To aid the revenue derived from indirect taxation, through the Customs by a direct taxation in the shape of stamp duties. 10. To revise the tariff, wiili a view to a more equitable distribution of the burthen, without, however, impairing thu revenue. 11. To appoint a Civil Service Commission, with a view to the greater efficiency of the public service, and as ft step .a to retrenchment. And here T take occasion to observe that whilst 1 cannot be supposed to Know, and therefore do not venture to express an opinion, as to the interior arrangements and effectiveness of other departments ; yet that if they are equally satisfactory with those of the department over which I have the honor to preside, I am bold to affirm that no Government was ever more faithfully served. Sir, I venture to recommend these proposals as a whole to the Committee for confirmation, in the belief that they are prudently devised, suited to the circumstances of the colony, and well calculated to complete the restoration of our flnuncis to a healthy condition ; an) they are alsu practically so adjusted as to provide sufficiently for all current services of the year, both General and Provincial. It will be perceived that they are framed exclusively of any assistance from the Home Government. If however, as is but natural and reasonable, the Home Government should accede to our application for their guarantee, in terms of his Excellency Sir George Grey's despatch of the 8 h April, which I now lay on the table and recommend to the perusal of honorable members, in which the case of the colony is so ably and feelingly pourtrayed ; the Government in that case would be prepared to come down with proposals by which the embarrassments, both of the North And South (which havo boon materially increased in both islands by the unhappy management of the war in which we have been so long involved) would be greatly relieved $ and the whole colony obtain a fair chance of extricating itself from the difficulties with which it has been surrounded, and of starting on a fresh career. I have only one remark to make before finishing a task that lam seni sible of having very imperfectly accomplished. Wht-n the House endorsed the policy of my | hon. friend at the head of the Government, it must have been well aware, that such a policy carried with it financial consequences ; that, in tact, the whole of that policy hinged on finance ; and that a policy of self-reliance was a mere idle vain-glorious boast— the big j talk of the truant boy, as yet innocent of the world— unless it was understood to mean a policy of reliance upon our resources. I conclude, sir, by moving the following resolution, viz :— " That it is desirable to revise the present Tariff, and that the hon. the Commissioner of Customs be authorised to take such measures as may be necessary for the collection of any new duties, pending the discussion of the resolution." Mr. Kells, one of the Wfhganui members of the Provincial Council, has addressed a letter to the Wanganui Times, explaining the course which he adopted during the recent session of the Council. He remarks — " The Government took up and maintained an honest, independent course throughout the session, and they showed a willingness to meet and adopt every reasonable reform, if I except the Corporation Bill." And again speaking of the members for Wellington Mr. Kells says :—": — " I should be quite satisfied to lay any case of mine in the hands of the city members, and with the certainty of

getting justice." And again:— "l believe from my recently acquired knowledge of facts and figures (which I would as suon not put in blank and white), that we have no great reason to complain that we have not had a fair share of the public revenue expended in the districts ; nor am I the least afraid for the future expenditure, as Wellington is clever enough to see that she can only take full advantage of the splendid start she has got in the race of cities (for which she may thank the genius of Dr. Featherston), by promoting the interests of the outlying districts." It will be seen by an adveitisement elsewhere in our columns that the Returning Officer has fixed Monday next for the election of Commissioners for this city. For Thorndon Ward, at the building used as the Land Office, at ten o'clock a.m. ; for Lambton Ward, at the Athenaeum, at noon ; and for Te Aro Ward, at the st ckyard of Messrs. Bethune and Hunter, at two o'clock p.m. We observe that copies of the Town Board Act 1865, can be? obtainei of Mr. Lyons, S'ationer, Willis street, or at the Independent Offije.