WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3561, 22 July 1874, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[By Telegraph.]

(From our own Correspondent.)

July 21. The following is Dr Pollen’s letter to the Provincial Government re the Gold Duty Repayment Act “ I have the honor to inform you that the Governor has disallowed the Repayment Ordinance. His Excellency has been advised to take that course because there did not appear to be sufficient provision in the Kill to prevent the repayment of gold duty be ng made fer gold, the produce of other Provinces, being shipped from Otago. Although the second section of the Bill refers to gold as being the produce of Otago, the third section requires your Mouor to be satisfied with proof only of the gold being shipped from the Province. Thus, inducements would be offered to transmit to Otago for shipment gold produced in other Provinces causing a loss to their revenue. It may be doubtful whether any provision for giving a bums on gold shipped could be hedged round with sufficient prohibition to protect the interests of other Provinces, but provision ought to be made for allowing a bonus m * ners 011 their satisfying the Warden or other authorised officer that they obtained the gold within any district, and forwarded it to the Coast) for shipment. A measure of that kind, wh.le ausweriug the purpose of the Ordinance lately made by the otago Provincial Council, would be free from the great objection to which 1 have referred, as well as from another which might be urged

against it : that of being in appearance an unconstitutional inteifereuce with authorised taxation.”

Mr Vogel, in laying the Polynesian papers on the table, said the Government were aware that in coming down with a proposal of the kind, they laid themselves open to •icing termed South Sea Bubblers. There was a time when an insinuation of the kind was made, when the Public Works policy was brought down, but time shewed that policy to be substantial. There was nothing In the present proposal that the Government need be ashamed of, and they were quite prepared to leave it to be dealt with on its merits. To his mind the proposal shadowed forth would be hardly second to the Public Works policy in attracti ■ g a large population, but they must avoid the mistake of only finding one kind of employment, and should provide means of commercial enterprise for those inclining that way* A period would come when we should see Now Z-aland mistress of the British possessions iu the Pacific. He thought her situation and climate eminently fitted her for that position. He would like to see the day, and hoped that day was not far distant when the Governor of the Colony would become the Governor of the General Pacific and Polynesian Islands. In his opinion there was a large work for New Zealand; the monetary risk was trifling, in comparison with the various results which might arise which would make New Zealand attractive—not only with respect to her interior resources, but to her outward resources; would make her a large manufacturing country, a large commercial emporium, (and develop her mar.time resources. Whether the Bill was proceeded with this session would depend upon the opinion members formed on the subject. It was not a party question. The Government said it was desirable to promote the matter, aud asked the members to study the papers, aud think over the subject.