The Evening Post. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1865.

Evening Post, Issue 200, 28 September 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1865.

•VA teyt days ago, while the log-rolling system was being carried to excess in the House by the Northern and Southern Coalition, it was moved thftt the- House go into committee of supply. This "was at once the signal for increased opposition. Member after member of the Coalition charged the Government with extravagance, asked for. a reason \vhy> the estimates for this year were more than last year, and refuted to si'; in the House while they were being pawed) unless they were first amended.\Jn absence of the Colonial Treasurer, tn^Attorney- General pointed out that the difference between the estimates of last year and thoue now proposed was accounted for very simpfy-, and proceeded to explain it. .He had before him a tabulated statement, showing how the increase bad arisen, which has ¦ since been published. We take from it the following items :— The estimates for last year showed an ' expenditure for general purposes of £325,427 19s 3d, and for Provincial purposes of .£151,431 Is., making a total of .£476,859 0s Bd. The present estimates show an expenditure ior general purposes 0f£555,180 3s Bd, and for Provincial purposes of 12s, making a total of £735,475 1 5s Bd. The increase, then, on the general estimates is £229,752 4s, and upon the Provincial estimates £28,864, making a total increase of £258,616 4s. He then proceeded to show how this increase had arisen. First, there was the increase of interest on the Colonial debt (about £ 8,000,000) of £127,860, increase of pensions under- the Civil Service Superannuation Act £2131, a like increase under the Militia Act £2100, making a total of £132,091. Then there was the Panama Service, an expenditure sanctioned by the Parliament itself, of £26,350. During the past year new departments came into ex istence for which provision had to be made, but from which there will be a more than corresponding increase of revenue, as, forinstance, Stamps £5000, Marine lioanj. £6270, Electric Telegraph £5115. It is expected that the former of these will yield a revenue of £70,000. Last year there was provided for Militia Services £25,000 ; this year the charge for internal defence is £89,705, showing an apparent increase of £64,705, but there could be no greater delusion than to suppose that this was an increase of expenditure. Last year the expenditure was ten timea that amount,but charged against the loan. This year it is charged against the revenue and reduced to

such a minimum, that doubts may be justly entertained as to whether the service can be adequately maintained on the sum provided for that purpose. This year there is an increase of the estimates for the expenses of members of .£3BOO, because the session is likely to be prolonged. So much ior log-rolling. Turning to Provincial estimates for last year, it will be found that the cost of criminal prosecutions had been estimated at the sum of £1500. whereas the real expenditure had mounted to upwards' of £8000. This year there is an increase of £7395 provided for criminal pri sjcutions. Besides, since last year's estimates were passed, the West Coast gold fields had been discovered, and the increased expenditure there borne on the present estimates is for judicial departments £5000 and for customs £4200, making a total of £9200. Thus making a grand total of these items of increase of £259,926, and showing a difference between the totals of the present and preceding estimates of £1309 16s. ftjj^'otwithstanding this clear and satisfactory explanation the Coalition still persisted in refusing to take part in passing the estimates, one of them stating that he would willingly listen to the proceedings of the House from the gallery. It is not likely that such conduct as this will meet with the approval of the public, but it is more than probable that it will meet with its just reward v during the next genera! election. Under any circumstance hon. members are bound to give attention to the business of the House, and give their influence to that Side to which conscience directs them. In this case a few of the members from the South and many from the North have not done so. What will he their reward ? \