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Evening Star, Issue 3808, 8 May 1875, Page 2

The publication in the last number of the ‘ New Zealand Gazette* of the condition of the public account of the Colony on the 27th of March last, enables us to ascertain what have been the receipts and expenditure during the three qua ters which ended on that d&t», an 1, wuth tolerable correctness, how far the estimates ol the Colonial Trea surer of the revenue for 1874 5 have been redised. It will be recollected that at the end of the half y* ar the revenue from all sources fell thorh of Mr Vogel’s estimate by close upon L25.C00 ; and even setting against that sum certain items rightly regarded as asset , which would be brought to credit at the end of the year as “ refunds” and “re coveries,” there was still a deficit of eve;L 5,000. That aparenc deficit has bee swept away «nd convert d into a certain surplus by the traut-aitiona of the quarter just ended. W bile at the end of th<-

eptember quarter the revenue from all sources was L 355 434. and in the December quarter L3ti6 810 ; it amounted hi March to 1.419.307 the increas being more marked than in any previouquarter, thus, for three quarters of the year we have a total income ot L 1,122,00 hj as against the Treasurer’s estimate of £1.49u,i-00 for the whole year. The sources fr m which that revenue ia derived are stated in the following table :

The increases, it will be observed, affect almost every item. The ‘ Press’ points out that as the June quarter is carried down to the end of the month, and therefore gives four more days than any other quarter, there is no reason to expect a falling off of the receipts during ihe next three months, and it compiles a table, the first column of which gives the expected receipts for the year, taking the three quarters’ inc »rae aotally received, and adding one-th rd of that amount to represent the receipts during the lour hj In taking the average, the payments for “bonded stores” are omitted, as they are made in a lump sum at the beginning of the year, and are therefore peculiar to the March quarter. The estimate of the Colonial Treasurer, in his financial statement of 21st July, is added in a second column for comparison.

Total 1,509,501 1,490,609 Unless the item ‘'incidental ” includes “recoveries,” which up to the present amount to L 32,280, we cannot account for the smallness of the returns under that head. Kxcluding tha r . sum. the above table shows that it mav be computed Mr Vogel will be able to come down this year with a Surplus of neady 1/25 000. And, if our surmise with regard to “recoveries ” be correct, the surplus will be brought op tu L6J,000.

In our yesterday’s leading article the following senteuce should have appeared : “We cannot deal even cursorily with this important matter at the fag end of an article.” The printer, however, appears to have thought that the word “ consisting ” would answer better than “cursorily,” and made the alteration. We must leave it to a discerning public to judge between us. His Excellency the Governor wi'l hold an undress levee at Fern hill House on Tuefday, the 11th inst., at noon. Gentlemen having cards for the private entree are requested to attend punctually at 1145. The Marchioness of \ormauby will hold a reception on Thursday next, between the hours of two and three o’clock.

It will be remembered that, at the inquest on the body of Mrs Elizabeth Jeffrey, it was stated by Dr Baewe‘l and Mrs Gibb (nurse) that deceased had told them that Grossan, who was charged with murdering her! had atulen her locket, watch, and a sum of money, and that “the locket was found in h«use by Sergeant Dean. Yesterday, the watch was sent to Inspector Mallard enclosed in an envelope bearing the following words ; “ Mrs Jeffrey’s watch—not stolen ” Thus, it would appear that the whole of the accusations of theft against Crossan are groundless, A the conclusion of the special meeting of the City Council this morning, Or. Fish remarked that he bad observed in this morning’s ‘ Guardian ’ an article in which strong allusions were made to a project by the City Council to cut a channel for the Water of Leith through the A oclimatisation Gardens This proposal he (Mr Fish) had never heard of, and he thought it a pity that the Press should write such sensational articles without J*ny foundation. Cr. Reeves said the matter arose from tfie gradual washing away of Duke street by the Water of Leith, and the City Purveyor having been asked to devise some means to prevent this," that gentleman, apparently laboring under some mistake’ drew up an e'aborate plan by which the Water of Leith was to be deviated from its course, and Duke street made a fine wide road. However, no action was taken, and so the matter rests

T lie “ Lancashire Lass ” was played at the Princess a lust night for the bene (it of iir Hoskins, and the exce lent attendance in all parts of the house added a further proof—though pone vyaa needei—of the welldeserved po, pl irity in wiiich this gentleman is .kel 1. 1 he drama went with much smooth nebs and its success was ip no small degree due. to the excellent acting of Mr Hoskins, than w iom a mpre amusing “ Party by the name of Johnson” could hardly be conceived. His ‘ ‘ make-up ” was’quite original, and from first to last he succeeded in keeping the audience in a state of continual

merriment, His efforts were' ably seconded ! >y th-5 representative of Ved Gltyton (Mr Booth', who shows great improvement on his old style of acting. Miss ''olville was not seen to advantage as Ruth Kirby, the Lancashire I .ass, but she did not fail to make the most of an uncongenial part. Tne other characters do not call for special comment, it being sufficient to remark that all were fairly represented. “ The Lancashiie Lass" will be repeated this evening, and next week will be devoted to tragedies. On Tuesday next a preliminary conference of members of Road Boards will be held in •Murray’s hotel, Rattray street, for the purpose of devising and framing measures having for their object a more extended sphere of usefulness for the various Road Boards throughout the Province. The pro positions to be submitted are intended to form the basis of a gen ral conference at an early date ; and are (I) an alteration in the present title of district Road Boards, which should be created county boards. (2.) The amendment and simplification of the present Ordinance and its amendments. (3 ) All public grounds being placed under the control of district boards, which should have power to impound. (4) All Sues arising from breaches of local bye-laws going into the funds of the several boards. (5.) The chairman of each district board to be, in virtue of his office, a justice of the peace, to adjudicate upon all cases arising out of breaches of the boa-d’s byelaws. (6 ) Authority should be sought from the Legislature to deal with local matters other than those pertaining to roads, such as the control of the thistle nuuance, the control and retention of the dog tax and slaughtermen’s icenst s, publicans’ licenser, and police p o lectio n.

The Citizens’ Ball to his Excellency and the Marchioness of Normanby, is fixed for Friday eyeuinj' next A meeting of the committee will be held in the City Council Chambers on Monday afternoon at four o’clock. A genei al meeting of the Otago Institute will beheld on Tuesday evening, in the University. After the opening remarks by the President, Captain Hutton will read a paper on * lie cause of the former extension of the glaciers of New Zealand.” We are requested to correct an error in the advertising column of one ■of our contemporaries. St. Al atthews’s bazaar will be opened next week, not for ten days, but bn Wedms--lay and the three following. The admirable zeal displayed by the ladies’ committee will certainly ensure a well-deserved success. The usual weekly meeting of the Cave r sham Band of Hope w..s held last evening, the attendance being good. A number of recitations were given by the members, a gentleman present having promised to reward all those who took part in the procee dngs, The same gentleman has also promised to erect a platform free of charge.

Sept. Dec. March quarter, quarter, quarter Customs : DutMs, &c. ,, Bonded £ £ £ 28:1,811 281,462 325,810 stores ... 56 28 4,660 ,, Fees Stamps 3,413 3,420 4,185 21, Ml 25,135 31,982 Postal 14,608 16,387 19 372 Telegraphic 12,001 13,340 14.196 Jivlicid fees and fines 6,779 7,290 8,391 Re". Laud 2,683 3,856 2.789 2,806 ,, Meeds ... 4,266 3.603 ., Births, &c. 817 1,134 1,308 Fees: Crown grants .. 1,154 1,718 1,833 „ Miscellaneous.. Incidental 83 358 512 386 6,488 6?3

Customs duties Receive 1. £ -1,192, If I Estimated. : £ 1,150,000 ,, bonded stores 4.8d0 • 4,400 ,, fees Stamps 14,691 12.500 107,078 100,000 Postal 67 156 74,0 ; 0 Telegraphic 53,916 55,000 Jud. fees and fines 20,947 28,0 0 Reg. Land 11.037 12;000 ,, Deeds 15,633 15,000 ,, Births, &c. 4,345 4,000 Fees : Crown Grants ... 6,273 5,500 ,, Miscellaneous... 1,311 1,200 Incidental 10,163 35,009