THE Evening Star. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1869.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1974, 2 September 1869, Page 2

THE Evening Star. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1869.

The refusal by tlie Legislative Council to sanction the £50,000 loan after it had passed the House of Representatives, can cause none other than a feeling of resentment throughout the Province. It proves beyond question, that no matter what object is to be attained, no matter what progress is contemplated, they are prepared to nip it in the bud, and while they are willing to waste hundreds of thousands in a vain attempt to crush the Maoris, a few tens of thousands may not be spent by the richest Province in New Zealand in reproductive works. The Daily Times has on many occasions latterly sneered at Provincialism. This morning it has a veritable paean on the defeat of the scheme, and pretends to point out two preferable plans to the only one that seemed available to the Otago members. We do not much care about the rejection of the on the security proposed. We can quite coincide with the Daily limes that it would have been much better that no such security as the pastoral rents should ever have been thought of.

Otago should have claimed, as an act of justice, powei* to raise any amount of money necessary for the reproductive works contemplated, on Colonial security. What nonsense it is on the part of the Daily Times to point out as bettor plans the raising of money on Treasury Bills, or obtaining an advance from the banks for permanent works. The writer ought to know that neither course is open. That the General Government will not issue Treasury Bills excepting to meet current expenses in anticipation of revenue, and certainly not for the construction of works involving permanent outlay ; that the Provincial Government have no power to take such a step for a permanent investment, and would very soon be stopped were they to attempt it as an evasion of the Consolidation of Loans Act; and that no bank would advance on loan a sum that, from the nature of the investment, could not be repaid for many years to come. Just let the Province reflect on the following contrast; —For internal defence—that is, for a special appropriation to be absolutely wasted on the Provinces of Auckland, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, and Wellington—without the slightest hesitation £150,000 is voted. It is not a loan. It is known it never will be repaid. It is the yearly interest, at 6 per cent., on £2,500,000, and, expended annually, will amount to that sum, if simple interest be calculated upon it, in less than fifteen years. It is not even pretended that that large amount will suffice. Last year the expenditure on those Provinces was much larger. They are placed under no disabilities on that account; they share equally in the revenue with the Provinces where no such expense is needed ; and if the Middle Island ventures to remonstrate, or to hint that all future special expenditure of that nature should be borne by them, there is a howl of indignation from the North indicating how mighty badly they are treated. Fifteen years in the life time of a nation is only very little, and from present appearances the civilisation or extermination of the Aborigines will cost the sum set down at the very lowest estimate. Otago, the acknowledged seat of commerce, industry and education wants L 50,000 to be spent as follows ;On the Oamaru Dock, L 20,000; the Waitaki Bridge, L 10,000; Kakanui Harbor, LG,030 ; Waikouaiti Harbor, L 5,000 ; Clutha River Trust, L 5,000 ; and Shag River Bridge, L 4,030. Opinions may vary as to the advisability of one or two of the items, but thfere is not one that has not been subjected to scientific calculation and pronounced reproductive so far as facilitating commerce and opening up internal communication are concerned. The construction of such works by cheapening production and bringing large ai’eas of country into profitable connexion with centres of commerce, is

absolutely necessary to progress. A larger population can be employed when they are made ; increased means of attaining wealth are opened up, and the burden of taxation (chiefly laid upon the people for the benefit of the provinces in which so much money has been thrown away) is lightened. These views seem so plain, and commend themselves so indisputably to common sense, that the obtuseness of the Legislative Council would seem marvellous, were it not that an Otagan newspaper, the Daily Times, cannot see plainly that if such obvious truths have escaped the Legislative Council, and if such a plain measure of justice can be denied Otago as permission to raise money for investment in necessary works, so far from proving the advantage of the General Government undertaking such works, it proves precisely the contrary. The New Zealand war has been a huge job in the hands of Mr Stafford and Mr Fitzherbert, and a badly managed one into the bargain. Those gentlemen look forward to being again in office, and to have the dispensing of “a large loan for Colonial Works.” The £50,000 asked by Otago might well have proved an instalment of it, for at any time the responsibility could have been assumed by the Government. But what are we to look forward to as the consequences of resumption of office by Messrs Stafford and Fitzherbert, with the distribution of a Colonial Loan in their hands'! In the days of Walpole, support was purchased by bribing members of Parliament to support his Ministry. Log-rolling in the General Assembly differs from this system, but is not less effectual, "Under the Stafford Ministxy, the support of Westland—that is of its members—was secured by favors confered or expected. Mr Yogel exposed this when he shewed “ that last year, under the “ County of Westland Act, an absolute “ gift had been made to that County, “ without any restriction whatever, of “ the revenue arising from the gold- “ fields within this Province.” “ There “ w:rs an absolute gift to the “ County of more than the Provinces “ enjoyed. When he asked why the « County of Westland was not included

“ in the Act which had been brought in “ that day to provide for judicial “ officers’ salaries, he was met with the “ reply that the Governor could order “ payment out of the goldfields’ reve- “ nue arising out of the Provinces, but “ not out of the revenue arising out of “County.” With such facts on record, Otago has reason to rouse itself, and so to inform itself as to the true state of affairs, as to sanction no measure that does not specify fully the benefit to be derived from it.