Provincial Council.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1583, 9 June 1874, Page 246

Provincial Council.

THURSDAY, 4th JUNE. Financial Statement. . His Honor, on the Council going into Committee of Ways and Means, made the following statement : Mr Chairman, —I will now give the usutil explanation of the accounts if the province, and in doing so, will first deal with the financial year ending the 30th of June. The revenue for the year from all sources was estimated at £56,217, of which £53 500 was ordinary revenue, and £2,717 special. The estimated expenditure for the same period for the ordinary services was £54,429. The estimated revenue has been considerably exceeded, and will amount on the 30th of June to about £86,000, the excess having been chiefly derived from land revenue receipts, although nearly every item shows an increase.

The balance in the bank, on the 31st of May, was £53,221, and I estimate that there will be an available balance in hand on the 30th of June, after paying all claims to that date, of £34,334, which amount will be available in aid of revune for the services of the coming year. The expenditure you authorized last session has been given effect to as far as possible, but there are a few important works for which provision was made which have not been proceeded with This has been partly in consequence of the great scarcity of labor which has prevailed during the year, making it necessary to postpone some works, in order that the private industry of the province should not be interfered with. In respect of a few works, circumstances have arisen which render them no longer requisite, and in regard to others, such as grants in aid of bridges, the proceeding with them rested with the inhabitants of the different districts in which the works were proposed, and they have, I believe, been prevented from moving from the want of labor, and the high price of material.

I now lay on the table returns which contain full information respecting the receipts and expenditure for the year. To enter into detailed explanation of these returns would be wearisome, whilst I think they are so clear that hon. members can, by reference to them, at once get any information needed : The returns are:

1. A comparative return, showing in detail the revenue estimated for the year ending June 30, 1874; the amounts estimated to accrue in June; the receipts in excess of estimates; the excess of estimates over receipts ; and the total amount of receipts. 2. A comparative return, showing in detail the amount voted under the Appropriation Act; the sums expended to the 31st May ; the estimated expenditure during June ; the excess of expenditure over vote ; and the unexpended balances. 3. Also an abstract of the expenditure from the Ist July, 1873, to the 31st May, 1874; and the estimated expenditure for the month of June, 1874. I have now to refer to the receipts and expenditure for the year, under the head of "Special," including Education, Toll Gates, and Sheep Department. The return relating to Education shows that an estimated balance of £539 will remain to the credit of the account on the 30th of June. This arises chiefly from the estimated receipts havingjbeen exceeded. In connection with the expenditure on this head, I may observe that the amount required for capitation money for scholars is steadily increasing each quarter, thus showing an increasing attendance at the schools.

The Sheep and Toll Gate accounts do not require any special explanation. The Toll "Gate on the new Taradale road was opened on the 3rd of November last, but the receipts have been light, owing to the unfinished state of the road, and now no tolls are collected, the road being impassable since the floods.

The Sheep account will have credit balance at the end of the year estimated at £266. There has been an over expenditure on the fence at the southern boundary of the province, and a saving under some other items, I lay the returns of receipt and expenditure in respect to these special accounts upon the table. I also lay upon the table a return showing the apportionment of the General Government Road Board Grant. An examination of this return will shew that a great many districts neglect to take up the amount apportioned to them ; this is the more to be regretted, as the expenditure of money by the Boards, that have been working has been very satisfactory. That completes whatjjl have to say respecting the receipts and expenditure of the year ending Juue 30th, and I will now pass to the estimates of revenue and expenditure for the ensuing year. Taking first the revenue, I estimate the receipts from all sources for the year ending 30th June, 1875, at £80,494, and I lay upon the table a return, showing the heads under which I expect this amount will accrue. Of this amount £4,575 arises under the head of special, and is not open for appropriation, so that the actual sum estimated to be available for appropriation is £72,919. I also lay on the table the estimates of expenditure for the same period. These estimates have been carefully prepared, and the difficulty has been to so arrange the expenditure as to keep within the amount that is expected to be available.

The proposed expenditure on roads, bridges, and public works, amounts to £56,160. In arranging the roads estimates, I have first endeavored to provide for keeping in good condition, and equal to the increasing traffic, the main roads, and the expenditure on this head is heavy. T have then kept in view the necessity of connecting with the railway as many outdistricts as possible, in other words, supplying feeders for the railway. Within a comparatively short time we may dxpect the railway to be completed to Waipukuran, and the cost of working expanses will be heavy. As this will be a provincial charge, it appears to me sound policy to direct our expenditure so as to throw all possible traffic upon the railway, and thus make it productive, instead of a possible tax upon the community. I have also proposed a considerable expenditure on the Wairoa road, and on the Taradale road ; the latter in its present state is unusable, and it is requisite to nuke it, so as to take advantage of the laupo roao\ by way of Wharerangi, now about to be constructed by the Gener&l Government, and Which will cause the principal part of the traffic, which, now crosses at the Ahmiri heads, and goes by way of Pttane, to go by way of Taradale.

Roads to open land for sale in the Seventy-Mile Bush will also absorb a large sum ; and, as it is from that district a good deal of the land revenue will be derived, the expenditure is essential. Grants in aid for bridges over the Waitio at Oinanu, over the Waipawa, near Homewood, and over the Ahuriri harbor, are proposed, and numerous other road votes, of which particulars can more conveniently bo given at another time. Under the heading of Public Works, £5,500 is proposed to complete the reclamation and building wharves at Gough Island, Port Napier. A portion of this is the unexpended balance of last year's vote, which requires to be re-voted. Owing to rise in labor and timber, the cost of those works, which was estimated last year £IO,OOO, has increased to £13,500. Another large item is £6,800 for filling up the Napier swamp. This sum, however, is only an advance, to be recouped by the owners of the land. For this Work, £SOOO was voted last year, but it has necessarily stood .over for want of labor to carry it on. Another item deserving notice is the building of a Lunatic Asylum. This is a work that cannot longer be delayed. Expenditure in connection with the Napier inner harbor, test groins outside in connection with the proposed artificial harbor, jetties at Wairoa, and police in Napier and different parts of the province, is proposed. Under the head Miscellaneous, many necessary services are provided for, the chief item being a grant for educational purposes of £3,400. By giving this aid out of the revenue, the collection of rates under the Education Act can be postponed until after the next general election for the Provincial Council, which will give the people of the province an opportunity of expressing their wishes on the subject. The ordinary expenditure, including departmental, police, gaol, &e., is estimated at £11,982 for the year. This is an increase on last year, especially in the Police Department, which requires additional strength. The Special Estimates require no comment, other than can bo given when the items are considered, and I will defer further explanations for future opportunities in Committee of Supply. I will now move the consideration of the estimated revenue. FRIDAY, sth JUNE. The Council met at 3 p.m. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Petitions, . Mr Kinross presented a petition from the volunteers of Wairoa, who had qualified as efficient members for five years. The petitioners, fifteen in number, prayed that remission certificates, similar to those granted by the Volunteer Land Act of 1865 might be granted in their favor. — Read and recived. Mr Kinross presented a petition from Messrs Richardson & Campbell, owners of the steam launch Fairy. The petitioners set forth that partly in view of the subsidy voted by the Council for a steam mail service for Wairoa, they built the Fairy for the trade ; that the vessel traded regularly between the two ports, making fifteen trips in three months ; that on applying for the bonus they were informed that although the service required had been exceeded they were not entitled to the benefit of the vote, not having entered iuto any engagement to carry the mails.— Petition read, received, and ordered to be printed. Tenders. His Honor said that before entering upon the business of the day, he would lay upon the table the papers called for yesterday by one of the members for the town. Upon inquiring, he found that an error had been made in the calculation of the rates charged by the tenderers, which error had resulted in the contract being given to parties who were really the highest tenderers by the amount of £24. The mistake arose in this way—in calculating the quantities required, when the Gazettes came under consideration, they were calculated at the rate of 200 copies instead of at per page, which would have made this difference. He laid on the along with the tenders asked for, a memo, from the Provincial Treasurer, one 1 of the officers who had opened and examined the tenders, showing how the mistake arose, and containing the re-calculation, which showed a difference in favor of Mr Harding, who tendered unsuccessfully, of '£24. A mistake had been mado, which hs regretted. Waipawa Court-house. Mr A Deane (without notice) asked his Honor the Superintendent it is was true that the site of the late court-house at Waipawa would require to be leconveyed to the General Government. His Honor replied that such was the case, the General Government having required that the grant should be made. He was not aware of the precise procedure to be adopted under the circumstances, but would ascertain. Sheep Act Amendment Mr Oumond said that the Council wore aware that the assent of his Excellency was withheld from the Amendment Act of last session, on the ground that it was ultra vires. In the present Bill no attempt had been made to legislate against footrot, as it was found impossible to deal

with this subject in a satisfactory manner. He considered the Bill would have been more effective if some of the proposed penalties could have been made heavier, but the Council had no power wliich would in that case have enabled them to enforce them. The present Bill Was largely derived from the Canterbnry Actone of the most successful of the various Provincial Acts relating to the subject. It was his intention to have, the measure referred to a select committe* before bringing it into a committee of the whole Council. Bill read a second time. The standing orders were then suspended, and a motion carried referring the Bill to a select committee consisting of Messrs A'Deane, Maney, Tanner, Col. Lambert, and the mover. Hapier Girls' School. Mr Ormond, in moving the second reading of this Bill, said it proposed to do what should have been done long ago—to convey to the school the land on which the school building was situated. That building was erected during his predecessor's term of office, on the understanding that a proper conveyance wonld be executed. Col. Lambert thought it a very improper proceeding on the part of the late Superintendent, thus to dispose of public laud without consulting the Council. Mr Sutton said that the Bill appeared defective, inasmuch as it did not convey the land to any one. If it was intended to vest it in trustees, the fact should appear in the Bill. Some four or five years ago the land was handed over to trustees on the understanding his Honor had mentioned : money bad been subscribed and the building erected on that understanding, and the school had now been in operation ever since. Mr Ormond said the land in question was an educational reserve, devoted to school purposes. The Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on next sitting day. Common School Site Repeal. Mr Ormond, in moving the second reading of this Bill, said it was intended to repeal the Act appointing a site for a common school. The site having been found unsuitable, and the school having been erected elsewhere, it was desirable to release this piece of land for other purposes. The Bill was read a second time, passed through committee, reported to theSpeakei without amendments, and its third reading made an order of the day for next sittingday. The Council then adjourned.