THE COLONIAL TREASURER'S FINANCIAL POLICY.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 709, 4 August 1870, Page 2

THE COLONIAL TREASURER'S FINANCIAL POLICY.

A public meeting was held last night in Gilme*V Hall, called by" Sir H. H. Lalunan, one of the representatives of the Grey District in the County Council, in accordance with a resolution of that body, to obtain, an expression of opinion upon the Colonial Treasurer's financial policy as it affects Westland. There was. a large and infl uential „ ? „-■..-.■ ••:-» ..-. J., Kilgour, Esq., Mayor, took the_, chair, and explained the object' for which? the meeting had been called.- He hoped that a unanimous expression of opinion would be r given upon the resolutions/ about to be submitted for their considera-. turn, and that, whatever may be the private feelings of the speakers towardsjthe County of Westland, no local jealousies would be introduced into their speeches. Mr H. H. Lahman, who was warmly received, said he appeared before them in compliance with a resolution of the County Council/ passed in consequence of the news from Wellington that the 1 financial scheme of the Colonial Treasurer had been adopted in principle. He' need hardly say it was with diffidence he appeared before the '.public of Grey mouth on this occasion, in consequence of the position they ■ had taken up • with regard to the other portion of the County, still he hoped to be able to make it appear that, while, the. .financial scheme of the Treasurer would not only be the death blow of the County, it would also be a great , injustice to the residents in the Grey District, whether they were annexed to Nelson or remained as part of the County. As soon as the news came from Wellington, the County Council i took the matter in hand, and commenced an agitation, because they could not tell ,how soon those proposals would become law. They resolved to draw up a petition and at once forward, it, stating their grievances, and in order to show that the population was not so small ar made out by the Colonial Treasurer, they prepared a census, and at the same time a plebiscite on the question, whether the people were prepared to adopt the financial proposals, or were opposed to them.. It was proposed that the General ' Government should take the whole of the • consolidated revenue, and give a capitation -grant at the rate of L 2, with an allowance of 5s per head for Westland,' as its case was a singular one. He would show by a statement made out in the County Treasurer's office how much we were interestedin this question. He then read the following , approximate statement, showing the position of- /'the/ County with the Consolidated Revenue. versus the Capitation Allowance :— The total amount contributed to the Consolidated revenue by the County, for the twelve months, was, say . L 99,408 ; the moiety credited to the County was L 49 ,70 4; 'Shewing the total amount re- 1 ceived by the County to be L 16,550. The permanent charges, salaries, interest, sink-, ing fund, transfer to other accounts, charges for .unprovided service, &p., were; L 33,154'; and the capitation allowance, at the rate of L 2 5s per head of population, on 13,500 inhabitants, being only L 30,370, would leave the County indebted to the. General Government per annum L 2784, instead, as at present, receiving L 16,000 of «onsolidated revenue., Now, they ; would never see a farthing ; for all their share would be swallowed up in charges, besides being indebted, over L2OOO to the General Government. As to how the Grey district proper will be affected by these alterations, he would read the following approximate statement, showing the position of the district with consolidated revenue versus capitation allowance. The total amount contributed to the consolidated. re venue, by the district for twelve months, was say L 28,000, of which the moiety credited to the district was say L 14,00 0; the General Government charges, salaries, interest, sinking fund, &c.,' were 3ay L9oojO ; leaving a balance in favor of the district of L 500 0; the capitation allowance, at the rate of L 2 5s per head of population on say about 4000 inhabitaut3,would. amount to L9OOO ; the General Government., charges, salaries, - interest, sinking fund, &a, would be L 9000; the sharp of trausfers to other accounts and charges unprovided fpr would be say L 600,: leaving this district indebted to the General Government about L6OO per annum. Moreover, the capitation grant is to be reduced 2s per head per annum,, which would make it for the second year LIOOO, and every year L4OO. more. We would lose LSOOO, and pay L6OO more, even should we be annexed to Nelson. Their efforts would affect the., district equally whether annexed or not, for it affected all gold fields districts in the Colony alike. The County Council therefore petitioned the General Government on the question, and took steps to asser-. tain whether the population of Westlaud was more than 13,500 ; indeed, it was nearer 16,000, for he believed the Grey District contained fully 5000 of a populalation. Now the question was whether they would sit quiet and give silent consent to the proposed robbery of , this dis-r trict and County, or join with the other districts in asking for justice, . All they wauted or asked for was bare justice, and he hoped they would be unanimous iv asking for it that night. He proceeded at some length to show, that even by the new idea of the Colonial Treasurer not only, was the County; but also 'the Colonial Treasury, lossers. He would not refer to the tariff because that had been already discussed in that room, but the capitation : grant was a most shameful arrangement to secure the votes of the Canterbury, Nelson, and Otago men inorderto carry the bubble schemes of the Treasurer. The ; question was would they take : all legitimate and constitutional means to show the Assembly that the voice of the people demanded that justice should be done to Westland, and that they fully coincided with the following petition, which had been sent up to the Assembly by the County -Council :—■ "That the amount >t>f ' the capitation allowance to the County as projosed in the financial statement laid before your House by the Honorable the Colonial Treasurer is wholly inadequate to the wants and requirements of the Oonnty, ■•■■.' -That the County has during the ; last year contributed to the consolidated revenue of thy Ciilo .y the sum of ninety-nine thousand pounds, and has received from the General '.jlovemmeat thereout (after deducting Provincial charges, iuterest, and sinking fund on consolidated loan, &c ) the sum of about sixteen thousand five hundred pounds. "That if the said capitation allowance as proposed should be carried out, and receive ijhe forcis of lawj the effect, will? be to deprive t ' • * ~- -

the County of more than eighteen thousand pounds during . the present year, and will disable the County from carrying on the functions of local self-government. " That during the present year the of the proposed capitation allowance will not suffice to pay Provincial charges, interest, and sinking fund on consolidated loan, &c, bat will fall short about two thousand seven hundred pounds, leading jfche, * County indebtedtoTihe General Gbvernmenl in that amount. - . ; T ■r ' "That the 'remainder of the revenue' of the County will be barely sufficient to pro- ... -vide- for the^ departmental expenses- of^thiß"" County, such as administration, police, gaols, harbors, surveys, hospitals, &c.^and will net leave one. single shilling whieh'.can ba devoted to the purposes of education, 1 construction of public works, now so urgently required, or even the maintenance of existing roads,. &c. , „ „_. ,_ ... „ „ " That the maintenance of roads' in the } County is a matter of great importance^ inasmuch as in. addition to the ordinary requirements of a thickly timbered country : the County is burdened with the maintenance of the overland road to Christchurch as far as Arthur's Pass, said expense amounting to about five thousand pounds per annum. " Your •petitioners therefore pray ttiat your honorable House will be pleased to so „ modify the financial scheme above referred ' ; to as to place the Connty of Wesfcland in a position to. carry on the functions of local self-government. f ." And your petitioners will ever pray;"? -,■■, That was couched in proper language, said where a remedy could be" found j and''--he hopedjit would be supported, and thfe ..,■ resolutions about to be proposed,unanimously adopted, i . ■• Mr D. Gikdwood moved— -~f— .. " That* this meeting views- with alarm" I tbe initiation of » financial scheme which*"^ will deprive the Corporation <if the County of Westland of all .ability .to. carry on, £he ... functions of local self-government." '^ ' i; '-'"- He cordially agreed with all that had been said by Mr Lahman, and he< believed that the policy of the Treasurer was a direct hit at the County of Westland. Npwwtia . the time for everyone heartily to^ cooperate on the question. ' ' ' ''■""'' MrOoE seconded the resolution., /whi^^. , waa put and carried/ '■•'-■ ' ; > <'^ / v ! Mr P. Gxjinness proposed . jthe next "*■ 'resolution — . " ' ; : " That .. this meeting most strongly/ prp>< ; ; . tests against the diversion from the Consolidated Bevenue of the justfShare to which the Connty is entitled, and considers that the Capitation allowance proposed to be given in lieu thereof is wholly inadequate to jn. demnify.tbe County of Westland for the lostii ; it will sustain by reason. of the' proposed- 4 p alteration in the distribution; pf, the. Consoli- '' dated Eevenue." ' " i;:k Every person in the room, and in Westlaßd, could subscribe .to such resolutions,. . . as a gross injustice was proposed to be : r1 perpetuated to the County. . .. , Mr M'Gbegoe seconded the motion. Kesolution put and carried unani- - ; * V> mously. :-.;•'- >-..?.■ Mr J. W. PABKnrgoN moved — " That this meeting entirely approves of the terms of the petition which has' been already forwarded/ to the 1 House' 6f- ; Repre» sentatives by the County Council." Mr Jam.es. Gkaham seconded the mo- „ tiou, which was put and carried unanimously. • : ■•'-/. . ' -'■-' '- "■' : ■ -i'- S_|. Mr E. B. Fox moved-^ ■''. . ;\ k " lhafc the above} Kesolutjpns Be • fori ' warded to the Hon. tbe, Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives,. pray-. r ing that their Honorable 1 .HdusV will' be* J ''~ pleased to: modify the Financial Scheme so : ' as not to operate injuriously to the County orWestland." v Mr Brown seconded the motion, which-, .. was supported by Mr lAhmait, and put ; ? / and carried unanimously., •..■.-:■■•-,■■.•■!<•', The usual vote' of thanks to the Chair terminated the proceedings. A meeting for a similar purpose wa» 'held at Hotel, Maori Gaily, on : > Monday evening, at which Mr' E, B. Fox presided, and Mr Carreras spoke at con- 7-, siderable length, and the same series of "- ) resolutions were unanimously adopted. T r;^ ]\ r .