General Assembly.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 595, 17 July 1858, Page 2

General Assembly.

HOUSE OF KEPRESENTATIVES.

Tnmi6DA.Y, JUK« 10.

ME, RICHMOND^ FnTfISCIAI- STATEMENT. from our last.J

I now pass to the second portion of my TO^". 3ect, the Estimates of Eevenue and SJ^pendK ture, beginning with the current financial year, J857-8. I shall not long detain the committee --on these. The reveuue is «imply assumed as equal to that ef the calendar year, 1857,"which «was £131,717 7s. 6d. We think we may reckon ■on the March and June quarters at least equalling those of last year. In the Auckland March there is a slight increase upon last ■year. I put the Customs .reyeuue at £-132,000. i3?he whole estimate of revenue is as follows: — Customs ~£132,000 Post Office ...V...1. ' 3,770 .Judicial fee, &c !.~ .« ' i,600 : :Land Claims C0urt..........,.;;....:.. l y ooo Registration fees,— *..'■- ; Births, Deaths, and ;Marriage«— 500 ' ■-'Crown Grant fees .;........... 700 .Miscellaneous -.^..1... ..;„....:'„.....-... .675 "'■•- : " „...-..; 5£140;245 i "To which.add for re-fund by Pro- i . vinces for interest and sinking " c viund on loan, — By provinces of S. Island 6,000 •; Ditto N. Island 1,000 ■ 'Total ordinary revenue..~ -.£147,245 As to theseitems it only seems necessary to ./explain <that -the whole interest on 5e300,000 is -estimated, for under the head "Permanent 'Charges, 1' as "a Colonial liability, which, as betweeu the colony, its surety the Imperial Go-; vernment, and the Public Creditor, it- must be; -considered. Credit is therefore taken in the estimates of revenue for the contributions out of -the gross revenues of the several provinces to-; wards'saeh interest. The sum of £1,000 put down as the contribution of the Northern Is- \ land is probably too small. It is not possible, | -until the expenditure for land purchase is analy,sed,to say exactly what this sum should be. .- .1 pass to the expenditure. There is an apparent "addition to the Civil List of £1,000, in consequence of the sum payable under the Governor's Salary Act, 1856, for his Excellency's additional salary, being- put down under this head. Everything else stands as it did, except that the districts of the Magistrates on the list are in two .cases changed. The sums are the same. Next come the Permanent Charges. The sum of ij'5,744 17s. sd. for interest on the new Debentures is not quite the full year's interest, the 'last two sales of Debentures having taken place a few days after the 30th June. Now appears for the first time a charge for the interest of the new loan. There is £9,000 for' half a year's interest from Ist January. This will be paid into the Commissariat Chest on Ist July. Under the head."Land. Claims Settlement Act, 1856," we propose an increase of £200 a year in the salary of Chief Commissioner. This is on the ground that the service is a special temporary •-service. The office is like our own office in this - respect, that the holder has of necessity only a temporary tenure! We also vindicate our proposition on this ground—a ground of which we feel certain,—that there is not another man in the colony who could do the work the present Commissioner is : doing,I—(Hear,;hear, from Mr. Stafford)—.-not another man in the colony who cpald do it one-half so welL The New Plymouth--Guarantee requires £2,000. I regret to isay that there is no immediate hope of relief from this "burden. This closes what I have to say on the Permanent Charges, amounting in all to £22,789 11s. 3d. The committee will -find that \ve have kept very closely to the estimates of 1856. I shall, of course, not go into details, but -"merely point out one or two new items. There is down a small sum of £100 for the arrears of ■ the salary of the Registrar-General." In the • compilation of the volume of Statistics lately - rlaid on the table by the Colonial Secretary, the Registrar has rendered a great service to the -colony,. As regards these arrears, the fact is, : that the Registrar; like many other officers, had • come to the ground, between two stools, the and the Provincial Governments. The House refused to vote the salary, because in the -- south the Registrars were on the Provincial Estimates. The Province of Auckland refused, becauseit did not, like the Southern Provinces, •get the fegs. It was plain those who took the -fecs_ ought to fay, and this will be a tardy act •of justice to a most efficient and meritorious - officer. 0f the sura of £2,675 10s. put down for printing, stationery, and contingencies, £i.700 i-is for..printing,jind the rest for furniture and £ alterations, stationery! and extra clerical assist•c ance. Under ' J udiciat' the small sum for Puisne . Judge's salary in aid of the Civil List is required in t>oheequenee of two Puisne Judges Im-yingbeen drawing, salary st the same time,— .-the late Mr. Stephen wtie was drawing half • salary as Puisne Judge, aad Mr. Gresson, who ' *>i!rew lull salary from the date of his commission. ' lhe Waikato- llagistratu's salary has been•v.ruised to £300 in consi'deratiou of the unusually ' .laborious nature of liis duty as a Circuit Judge,: .-..and-of that gentleman's great merit, to which'l have already in this House borne willing testi- ' v rnony. In the oategery of new services I must ■ -now draw attention --to a name which stands highest of -all-as- regards the importance of the • service rendered colony. -I-allude of - course to the author of, the Financial Scheme of - which we are developing,the results—parhaps I should rather call him the principal author,, bey cause, to the AttorneyrQeneral there also belongs a, large share of .the merit of its -origination..; 'Sir, I tenst that.xihe; modest provision we are 'proposing to make, to idemjjify Mr.;-SewelL for the deyotiou of^o maah .talent, ti cue, and K« { ~Yh7 to-.■"the■ service'of'"the colony, may be superseded by. that gentleman's return, aiirl that: he may airain take.his. place.at tli4s; table. The commnteo will understand that v/e propose the •apoointme.it of Mr. Sewdl as'agent to the •-colony lit a salary of. £500 par annum. The CuiHpuia expenditure we propose to defray this year for the i:«t time, aa a'charge', of collection -•>and»r Die- Constitution.Act. ' Henceforth we propose, iv. accordance '.with .the resolution oi'

"last session, tbat the provision for this service shall be voted by the House, and included in the annual Appropriation Acts. The detail of this year's Estimate for Gustonis shall be furnished in a few days. The gross amount I put at £14,800- STow I come to the question of surplus. _ „ - The tots! Kevcnmea amount to . . . jfl4ii,M 0 0 The Expenditure under th« following .. .heads, vix. *— . Civil Lint ':.: . - . . jT17,000 • 0 Permanent Charge* . . 22,789 11 3 . Appropriation* „ :£- -v •. . •-28,807 *■ 11 '-.••.•■ . Cuutooi*. . . "Q" .. V U.BOO- 0 0 - jf 83,397 0 i \ . . , , Supplementary for the •* /" , ■ ;' ,; . year 1856-7, iuclud--iug Now Plymouth Guarantea for that year, . . . ... 6,IH* 8 4 . ;" Amount* to . 8 6 Leaving a surplus of . .... . . 11 6 To which add the amount retaiurd on ac- . j count i-0f.j55.6-7! for ,Now Piymbuth ' Guarnutee, uov libcratod by charging .-..••. thnuaine on 1857-S i' . .'. . . . 2,200 0 0 II 6 Dedoct paymoats to Provinces on.ac- • ■ ; ! count, equal to throe-eighths of • ■ . . ...... . . . 49,500 0 0 Distributable in addition to three-eighths ■ ". ■ i - Customs > ....... . . j<"10,362 11 6

I had omitted to say that we propose to charge the whole supplerneatary expenditure of 1856-7,; (which, as axe aware, is, with quite trifling exceptions, covered: by resolutions of this House) upon the revenue of '57-'SS. The Constitution Act prohibiting a retrospective appropriation to ; make good the 7 deficiency of a former one, we! charge the excess of 1856-57 upon the*next year. ;■ I hope we shall have no more edging of the 'Ge r } neral Government into debt toswell the provincial balances. It is time there should be an end 1 of that. Sirv after this large deduction T shew a I surplus additional to the fth Customs which? the I provincesare no\v getting of £10,OQp.f Weipro- i pose at once to carry £6000 to the credit of-the : provincial accounts. I have," to-night, given away £15,000 to the provinces. The horserleech had but two daughters: the General Government of New Zealand has sis, and their cry is "give, give!" I trust shall be able to satisfy them aIL Now I come to what will be moreinteresting to the committee than riding the dead horse of '57-53; I mean the estimates for 1858-59. Before proceeding- to estimate the revenue jvwill call the attention of tlie committee,to; some of those facts on -which such estimates: are usuailr> founded. First I vriiltake the imports. Iwill compare the imports of 1857 with preceding years:'-!- -■■'■• '-- :■'" "' .Vi":'.: "-■■■..;\ ''„-.- Total value of Imports for 1853 was £597327 ! " . ■ .' 7 1854 " 891,201 " 1855 " 813,460 ....... .'1856-,•• 710,868 - -. , 1857 " 991,766

Your imports, you see, for the past calendar year, were close upon a million; ldo,ooo beyond 1854, when we were feeling the first powerful stimulus of jsLustralian, gold. ■This is good, so far as it goes, "but let1 us look to what is a truer criterion. Hour stands your export trade? .For, I agree with. my. predecessor that this -.is" what we ought to loolc to. Here the indications are decidedly satisfactory. First, as to total valfie the years stand thus:— , ,•? ;;;- -L 1853 ... .!.. ...£303,282 Ay 1854 ... ... ... 320,890 1855 ... ... ... 365,867 1856 „. ... ... 318,433 1857 ... ... ... 363,789: Here, again, -we have nearly reached the. highest of the Australian years—the palmy days of potatoes. But tlie mere araountis of less importance than the character of the exports. I will take 5 articles, in the order of their importance: —Wool, gold, kauri-gum, grain^ &c., and potar toes. The treacherous tuber stands* lowest in the list. The potato has betrayed every nation and almost every individual who has.trusted to it. Potatoes are but a rotten foundation' for a Chancellor of the Exchequer to build upon. The Wool export "in— 1853 was ... ... ...£68,507 1854 " ... 70,i0i4 . 1855 " 93,106 i 1856 « 146,072 ' 1857 " ... ... ;.. 170,601 I Gold dust, a new export, comes next, though at a great distance, and is put down at £40,442 ss. 7d. Kauri gum in— 1853 was £15,971 *854 " 28.864 j 1855 " 4 ; 514 1856 " 18^591 1857 " 35.053 Grain, flour and bran, in 1853 was £21.268 1854 *• 45J318 1855 '* 88,659 1856 " 28,151 1857 " ...... 32,422 TAst comes the Potato Export, which in ; 1853 was .„ £29 67'^ : 1854 « 61 ; 15 2 I 1855 " „ 91,508 1856 -* 19,958 1857 " 23,625 The wool export is now nearly only one-half of the whole, and gold fully one-ninth. These ngures give a pretty good bird's eye view of your export trade, for the four first named articles are three-fourths of the whole. Timber which in 1853 reached a value of £92,984 10s' 9d., fell in 1857 to £12,139 13s. lOd. The prospect, you see, is good ; for the wool trade must steadily progress, at least, until' the Southern Rnns are fully stocked. The Colonial Treasurer has a very good seat on tl>e wool -pjick. It was the. old staple o± England. The Nelson GokV fields are an established fact. ■■ We have no rea^ son to believe that their produce will'deeline- on .the contrary, the best iuformation we have is opposed to such a supposition. On the-whole, a satisfactory state of things is disclosed; for we are relying on staple at icles, &r which there is a sure. Semand in the English market. Trade is sound, and promises to show a steady .and even accelerating advance next year. I will now state how we estimate the Customs revenue for 1358-59. If to the revenue of 1856----7-, say £117,400, we add .12^ per cent, or one-

eighth, -we get .£132,075; and supposing the same proportionate increase of the revenue of 1858-59 over that of 1857-58, we arrive at £148,584 as the Customs revenue of 1858-59. But we will found, our estimate on a wider basis. . Taking the first seven years of the present decade, and. assuming that the regular ratio of annual increment is one-sixth, we get. the following results:-— ? ' : ; i Customs, computed as J : ; • V increasing 16£ perl ! .. „._:.'.' cent, annum ; orl : . one-sixth. I Actual Revenue. 1850 (say)£42,OOO ... £42,634 1851 » 49;OOO' ... ... '49,138 1852 - - 57,000 ...- ..; -^ 50,775 1853 66.000 ... 70,296 1854- 77.500 ... ... ... 105,308 1855 90,000 105,051 .1856- , 105,000: ...". ..; " '/■.'..] 101,056 ITrom this comparison you at once pick out 1854 and 1855 as years of abnormal activity, whilst reaction is visible in ,1856. An increase of one sixth 6n!tlie calculated i-evenue for 1856 .gives—';./.'.1 '.: <; '.'.;,' :■? 7 ■.'.'' ■'..;-';'•'• ;

Calculated Revenue for 1857 ... £122,000 Against—Actual ... £131,717 '■ But if we add to the former sum £10,000 as the Increase due to the Tariff. (Hear, hear, from) Mr. Hall). I see the honourable member is ma-' king a note of that. I know the use the hono-j rable member „wants .-to make of that pointi That is just the sort of little point;the honorable: member, drops upon with "hawklike precision," and I shall be glad *to discuss the matter with"' him at the proper time."—l say'£i6^OO6 is tiiei least, at which, on. other; data, I can compute theincrease .due to the new tariff, and,adding,that,! the rule of the one-sixth is again vindicated. In; small countries, subject to violent fluctuations; of traded it is not possible absolutely to relyoornr any revenue. The most careful calculations may: be disappointed. But.trusting to theexperience of the past, and to the present aspect of trade, we think that ,58-59 be- a year of average; advance, and ; that they are justified in.estimating that advance as giving xts 12^ per ceiit., or oneeighth) addition to the 'Customs, Revenue at £149,000. Before I leave this part of".fee sub- : ject I wish, to observe thattheaverage' annual ; per centage increase of the European population : from. 1851 to 1856, corresponds sufficiently nearly with the fate "we have taken. Begining in the former year with 26.707 .souls, a. ten per cent, animal" increase would : give '■■" a population' of. 41,008 In 1856. Eleven per. cent, would give,. 50,251 • souls in: 1856 vi "The actual population in 1856 was about midwa,y hetween these amountsj being stated-at 45,5-io. r The-average rate of in- I creases:we ; may.therefoi^say-hasbeen about ; lo| per cent, per annum. When it is recollected j that there is not only a, numerical • increase in the population,^l>nt. ? any increase also in its con--sumlng pow.ers,' thlk* average "ratio of increase is seetf iyery -mnch to the deduction I had made from other - premises.' J: In -the Post-Office receipts^—-we have calculated ona large increase, ;and ; set them; downr 'at? £6500/ All the' same causes;» of augmentation are at work as in the' case of the Customs v There ar.e, „ besides, other eauses,i namely, steani' 'eommuriif cation, about to ibe ; established -'6n! "ari -efficieni footing, the rapid esrfcensionvof broads,. and: lastly« *n^ principally: the establishnienti of< numerous5 local posts. The re venue ; from, judicial ■-. -. fees comes nextl In the case of the Supreme Courty ; the business of coorsa naust v ;be expected with three efficient judges, to he much .larger thaij it; has lately been. We are, besidesV" taking over the fees and'fines of-the Magistrate's Courts. I hope, however, no hon. member will forget that we are taking the "charges as well aY the revenue. The Land Claims Court is put down at a small increase on 1857-58. As regards the crown grant fees, I understand that the demand for the article is only limited by the power of production, and that ;£ISQO is no excessive estimate. ;The other items are, fees on registration of births, deaths, and marriages, £60d; and miscellaneous,'including licenses on the sale of ammunition, £AOO. The total ordinary revenue is estimated at £166,700. Refunds from provinces on account of interest of loan stand at the usual sum of £12,000 for the southern island provinces, and I hate put down £2100, being interest on jE35,000 for Wellington and Auckland.. This amount cannot be calculated upon, depending as it does upon the oper- ! ations of the land purchase department—in other words, on the caprice and internal relations of the native tribes. The estimate of revenue is, I ought to say, made on the existing tariff. It will be my duty hereafter to propose j certain alterations. .We ai-e pledged to that I course. I turn, to the expenditure. His Excellency has sent down a hill to alter the civil list. We propose an augmentation of £2000, beyond the .£l7,ooo—a civil list of £19,000. The increase is rendered necessary by the resolutions of last session in favour of an increase of the salaries of the judges of the Supreme Court, and the proposed appointment of another.puisne judge. There is no other augmentation,'except that .£IOO is added to the present, sum of £4700 for the establishment of the General Government, raising it to j£4SOO. The Executive proposes to appropriate the JG4BOO for the payment I1 of four Ministers, at £800 per annum each, ana j four permanent officers, one for each departj ment, at £400' each. This- is an increase of \ £100 a year each .in the salaries of the Colonial ; Secretary and Treasurer, and of £200 a year in ; the salary of the A.ttorney-rGenerat. We i purj pose to give the latter officer the superintendi ence of a department, and to biaiid over to him , Jipin the Colonial Secretary the correspondence i with the judicial officers of the courts, and the ! supervision'ofthe Crown Grant Office. HitKei-tb !:tlus la3t has been scandalously iiegleeted,"and j under existing arrangements I don't see now it | could be otherwise than neglected; . I blame; the J "rrimgements not_ the officers. - Thus- the Colo-; mal_ feecretary will;-be relieved of. X mass:-.of 'business, which he- can now very imperfectly attend to. We propose also to cr6ate ua ne>v. otnce, that of the Minister for Native Affairs. hor the last" eighteen -nxbntlis I have been;ma'le pamtully aware of my own liability to discharge with credit to myself and advantage to the public the duties of Treasurer and Minister for .Native Affairs. I don't think a single officer ought to be expected to take both duties. The conflicting demands upon a man's time and

energies are most harassing. I shall say no more on this point at present. The proposed new appropriation of the civil list and estimates for the service of the General Government illustrate our ideas, as to the organisation of the departments. Last session you affirmed our view that" the General Government was to be made a reality—that yqu^rould not 'reduce it,, to a few highly paid clerks-—for according to some colonial politicians the Executive pounril of the colony would be reduced to the status of, mere clerks—who should be left up here at Auckland in charge of the departments of the Customs and Post Office v and ,to.record ,the edicts* rof ' the fProYiricisfi iGjo.Wrfamedtji. deterim'n'ed* against that opinion and in favour of our view, and we now ask you to. make a ■moderate provision for giving effect to the ideas you affirmed, and for enabling us to meet the increasing business of the colony. lam sure the analysis of the business will be productive of great good.. The clerks will be better looked ■ after and become,more effective; for they;suffer, as we ourselves "• do, irprn conflicting "demands upon'their'time, and;the.multitariousnttture of their duties. The salaries of the four Ministers and four permanent officers absorb the £4800 i As to the salary of" £400-per annum for the, Native Secretary, it is proper I should say that] that sum does not represent, the salary of any! existing officer. £300 will bedrawn by the present? Assistant Native Secretafyj-Snd the remaining! £100 by the >G_ hief Land Commissi6ner;ithe T>alance;:of wlipse salary, will, be chargedj ; to land! purchase account."5; The i7o6p.for .native,pur-' pose we'propose to "retain unaltered, butrwith.aj >■ totallyl different appropriation. ; appropfi- i . ationof this* sum for native 'rests with! the Executive. I see the hon. memher/ for.thej : Churistchurch; GJduntry Districts—Mr. Hall-r- i dissents, and is'getting hold of the Cohstitutipn | Act. I knojy .whaf the hon. member is< looking \ for, and ; he Js going to run his head lagaihst the same post, as the. Hon. .member. for ; Wangariui, who .writes long about this, and misses, the simple point on which all, turns,! If the Executive wants to* vary the appropriation ! as fixed by the; Constitution,. Act, no, doubt that S must be by billi but tWinode of application for those specified purposes sis discretionary with the Executive. . In the - case of permanent appropriations by. act, such measure of discretion as is left with the Executive- by the act, cannot be interfered with by. the House. But as regards expenditure provided- for on the annual estimates, the House may of course prescribe terms from, year, to year; ..This .is. quite elementary knowledge."'l .think".the ..House .cannot even initiate a bill' to. alter 'the'civile;lisi ; without the; recommendation of"the"'Governor, . I will .nowj say what our. propositio'ri is' abpiit J.the, £7pqo. We intend to* relieve it of the charge" of natiye. schools, not of course to, leave the schools unprovided- for—that would ;i)e an act the worst and:perhaps the maddest that a Government of New Zealand, could; commit. ;I will presently say what substitute we propose. Instead of-the schools ]we propose, to appropriate the £7000 asfollows:-^- -n' ' ' ■'-' -'■»■"»'.■ ' '■.--'••

Medical 'of^^ natives iri Hospitals " *' '' i and as out-patients 2000 Circuit and Resident Magistrate's Courts 2900 Maori newspaper 400 Pensions ' 400 Presents and entertainments 500 Southern Island, native purposes 500 Por service not-above specified - „'.* ... 300

;'• -■ ";* t' ' £7000 Under ; the "'head Circuit1 Courts, *we! include £1,200, for fo.ur- Magistrates,' at £300' per annum each,, and ,£IOOO for, Native Assessors."; 'The}' sum for Pensions is in lieu, of the Pensions hitherto provided for1 on the estimates, and' of - the £200 per annum payable under T. Walker Nerie's Ordinance. • The sum for the newspaper is increased; as .we. desireto improve that publi-1 cation," (ironical cheers).;. , Well we are jvery sensible that it. is capable of* improvement, but hon. members who cheer, in that tone should send a leading article now and' 'then.. ■ Eor myself I can't pretend to find tihie for so difficult a task j as writing for that paper. ;So "much for the • proposed new application; as to which'the House has a right to be consulted, because it must be asked to make that provision for the schools, which will relieve the X 7000.' We shall introduce a bill to made such provision by a grant of £7000,f0r seven years, for native education. In so doing we shall be bound to offer to the House, on the one hand, a guarrantee for the due ex-i penditure of the fund, on. the other,; •some security that the £7000' relieved by the grant of that fund, will be expended in a way of which the House : approves. Without such [ guarantees I admit .we could not. ask the House to part with so much of its power as: implied in increasing. the permanent, provision for native purposes from £7000 to £14,000. Now as: to the :school fund, we propose that the payment for: schools shall be a certain rate per head for each scholar educated and maintained, according to. a prescribed standard." We propose a periodical Government inspection to ascertain the actual number,.of such , scholars, at each establishment, and "to certify the same'; just as the performance, of every other- service for jgovernmerit ■ is! certified: We do not, wish'",- to interfere in anywise in the management'of the schools. =It is absurds to -suppose Government' could substitute any agency for that of the present conductors, which 'would be one 'half 'as affective. Nothing . the State, could establish could be so good' as the present management, where it is good. Then as to the sum of £7000 on the Civil list. We think'it was wrong of Governor Grey to pledge the of. this', fund for .an uncertain "term in the way "he; did. He gaye away the whole of it r for a single-purpose, and then left his successor to cp'm^ down to the •House for a provision for every other "natrve purpose. The House not -having been consulted . respecting the'£7ooo, has felt a resentment not unnatural under the circumstance's. '-But'-what guarantee do we now offer as to the expenditure of (the Civil List s.um?'ritasih'is;hisJExcellency is willing to meet the views of the House, so far as to bind himself that, having named the purposes to which he intends to devote that sum, he will not vary those purposes without the advice of his ministers. This is a very important concession, as the savings on some of the services may be expected, for a time, to be considerable

It is an important concession, but only «nd^ the circumstances, a reasonable one Before t quit the subject of native expenditure I win compare the expenditure under the old'system with that under our scheme. On the Government Scheme you have ; (Civil Ligfel J.;, v^-nL..... 7jooo , 'VSchools.i.i'i.v.;.^;;..'..";'-. .' •> iuu. ' Native I^ep«rtmeiife-f; " >wo (^ivill^itV^. ;^.,^V'- ••• 1,200 Estimates^..,-..-.? ". lh y \ 60 q »'"' J815.800 In 1856 the provision was— On Civil List Native Secretary ............„....... 300 ' -:-•• Magistrates^..;.......; -^vr.:.^..-v..v f-400 School^. , „..-i..- -7 000 Native Secretary's Department... 1 500 ; ... Eesident Magistrates-Department -'882 Hospitals, &c........;. m 2 540 Pensions and Entertainment " 'ska Additional .i.v..:<.. :....... 500 By Eesolutiqn of tlie;Hbuge ......

■:•; zl,l . ft'.o 0 .-.?,. ■■ y.:;./ ;~ —■ A few of the services included in fhis'lltter ? unV £**? tas^ rre«c ' r »9F (Recognised, ass general colonial services. y Yc{u will observe that we con sider-the native 'department as partf'oflittie/ bM~ nary machinery of and accdrdinirlJ do not proposetp charge1 the cost on*the suilof TX7OOO which; we iconceiveis properly- applicable to • exclusively ( native.puf poses.^ ■ Passing to the permanent charges,,; Jt [have nothing to observe .except that'on the, Ist January, 1859, the. colony will be relieved from the interest of ten per cent debentures.' I hope to be f able to meet this sum without taking up more bf the half million Joan 'but should this1 not,'-be. the cage, the charge bf ititerest will-be augmented by 9 month's interest sLM sinking-fund at jE2O,opo—£9oo. '■■ ''■ Ttere will 'also1 be a small''additional sum- of £156^for 3 ■months interest,'sand'sinking fund on the sum of \£IO,OQO r.e<iuired to. take, up the first setfof 8 per cent, debentures; payable /July, 1859. ; : In computing the surplus, I shallileaye margin for this .£IOSO. The head ' Pei'manent. charges'is swelled by the proposed grant of 7000/. a year for the liTative schools..'".'l shall not detain the committee L with any" lengthened comment upon the votes Iwe shall submit-to you."' ' • ■■'•'"'- ■'• ■■■■■■■--^ \}K■ ■ ■ 't'/y■■■■[>; ■/■ ■ ■ •£..'^:'-n'}

For th&General Executive we ■ ■ ■>■'■■.'". \ i-.'H,". . . iask...:■;-;.";<..'«. 5,268 16 -O^ lv . „.;}.?. .^gisktiye.»,,;..,. v ,;. ...3,335; o 0 I „ ' ..•!,•. Judicial :.;....:.'...... ... ,11,890 5 6 ••■• ; ■ ... ..: ... 16.812 5.0- ---|'" Post' office, indiuding.: T '■■''■•■ ; ; f SbOOifbrSteani:.; 18,870 Op " Miscellaneous- ;V: '■'•".\: '8,748 ':i"5 o : .j The Judicial vote is swelled by the provision for the Kesident , Magistrates throughout the •colony. V: The augmentation of Customs expenditure is; accounted for as follows :r- ---'" Tw6'new-iP6rts;;' --i,''"■'. -H ;•<■>':' ■'" • .ri- ■-;■ Gollingwoodt s ... ... ... ... 380 i- - —Wairau-r-;iT--;v;— ■.-.-.-- ->v.—-.v. " "250"'; ■"" -~ ■ New GustpmrtHouse: at: Lyt-;1(: I \ teltbh .'..* "... ...... ... 1000 ■ UnforseenContingencies^.. ... 500 •- ■ '■■ ' ■•'■ ■. •^■''•-AY^-riV'. : 2,130- ■ The Lyttelton establishment is to be strengthened, and the salaries ofVthe*:.cdlleotor there, and at s j^elson, augmented in, consideration of.jtheir ■<■ rajfidly'increasing;duties, to 400?. per.annuin^ The estimate', for Post 0 ffice is' Very liberal. The sums for local posts,- are; as^follows :fAuckland »••'.■.•••.....,., 950 r New'Plyraoutti '' ,;i>; f.J \'\ 40 '. Wellington- ■...■ \!.. ...1200' ■'■■'■■ '•'■ : Nelson r..-. "V....' >■..".{. -Jr. iis& . ' i- : Canterbury „.;i . v:;..:Ii50::;; ;< ; „.. . ; : otago ...........,.., ,;v; ;ill i800:..:-:-->X -.-i-

■ ;.-..; ...■/,.;<■, .;:.;:-; .. „,45,290 ..,.. ..,■: That sum, with .£BOOO Jot steam, goes a long way, you ••will see, to account for the sum .under r cla^s Postal: Under the' head misceilanepus we include 1000?. for census-—(Hear, hear.)—and 1000/. towards the expenses of working the electoral machinery. > A good deal of the work we shall get; dope, 1 as at present, by our own paid officers. This closes what I have to say about the amount of the Tvoteg.fMTh'ene^'feature in these estimates is their subdivision into -'General' abdJ'liocal. ?i Hbnl 7 members 'will l find every class;thus, .subdivided.; What we .class as local expenditure within a province, we propose, under; the powers of the .Constitution' Amend-, mjent Act, to charge against that portion of the general revenue which arises within such province: mind, hot against' provincial revenue; (Hear, hear, from Sir; Hall.) Provincial revenue i*, only the leavings of this House;'arid-once for all, I say, will i\pt be. responsible for our administration; to six; Superintendents and Provincial Legislatures, but only to' this., House.. We are always ready to receive information and suggestions from all public bodies within; the colony— m Pre especially from the Provincial legislatures; who are, of..course,.more, entitled,to. cpnsidera- . tion than' any other 'public: bodies 7! but' "thieir right to" come between you. .a^nd ourselves: we deny.and repudiate;'; and.'this mode of charging, we propose, makes nd.differenc*.'; It: is in this House only that we see those representatives of, the people who are entitled to dictate" W the General Government;' We class ai locaVall the Supreme Court expenses, except the salaries N and travelling, expenses; of;the judges';-all the Resident Magistrates;, all Customs establishments; and all the" Postal, fex'cept. the general mails..; The classes .Executive'arid'Miscell*nepus, are mostly general, and so, of: course, -is-. th£ whole,.of -the (Civil, : List.,and; Pernianent, Under the, new system ea!ph pj^'o yince,ml^fl^^ I vi^:--the[-G€a^m'G^yem^a^fi^iiiiM' credited j with its gross ''. revenues■-arid' debited with it« prdportion of the general charges (computed a* at present), and ;also with .^he whole of .the local expenditure within the province :; The balance will be Provincial revenue. By this scheme we are only pursuing that great financial and political jdea which we broughtforward last session; we;are pushing it a little further. We .vyant na more of these pound shilling and peric<2 quarrellings and stramblings. Certainly, sir, our, Pror

v, irinciarßystfemijkeepß'tfs'iill aliVe.; 3tot' fne^d-1 fl vniit, a* l l iteartly-do, the'^reatf"tiiility]of the' Provincial Governments, thbu&K*miiyVnow a^d, .. then»,iipoke, ; Sftlittle/ fun jat jthem.i Thi«' great '■' ljeneflt 7 at least they? bring.-^theyl kee^us; all *;,*wake: :Certainly,;they..willallow'morFmance' (! minister^to sleep.:; h Now, luknoWj ;the .provinces^ I..ai!e i ali.agqg, to' asktwhatrafteDalU'areiyou going! i7j7£c>;,ieave, s us?.; ; This/ilrrhaveTkept for;the bonne- , '.!'ioMcAepf,tne.jeve.ning.';" t . J iii; \""\ yUnvy; --n i 7 Therevenue(inclusiv.eof:PrPvmcialt -.mu--^ ;.■-..; j 1 ' refundßy,l.have;estimated afr.J^t'jeiSO^OO 0 0! ;^;^p^d|tur,gwill ! be.,,^>..^U..io H9,666 : i5^ ; > 'I'!!!•TheisHßPlwS isjtnereforei.:i;JE6lvl33 14 W -'"" ''Allowing sfpti t^e additional interest I liavfe ' ° mentioned^. werwllasay^eo^OOO^ M^Cworfifths: qf I J' 'the', gross;, Customs;. at ; 149,000/ ; \ gives >. 59;600|. • . Accordingly,, we; jproposes to give^orders to thje j " qoliectprs, .tp, pay. oyer;bn ■■ account two-fifths, "/iiistead ;pf iithree-eighths.'of the gr'osst-Customi ' '^fter..3oth Juney; .Members[ who are not qitick inay;like.tb.kn6w: that this is '.. ,sixteenrfor J tieths,r.,iinstead! (.of» * This .we^prppqse : to 'dojfor; six;months,l iswith ; eyejry/ .prp§pect \oi Continuing, -at therrsame:rate 7l^at least) for tthe.i rest-ofitheyear. :>>■-*■■ ■■(•< ■ ■'.'■sy\ I," . ;But I must np.t omit to:remind yoti,that>iihe .tpjtn^iprpyinees ;bytithe;itrarisfer.of ser^ ;7,yiceS{ tp. ; th&r general; estimates; isUconsiderablet c iaVing?tiier ; cpst)jof!i.the Resident /! ■•£• si 'di. 7. ,7;Magistrate'siDepar'tment.atuv;..i 7;50O; ■-; o ! .t 0 vTAndjthereyenuetCaiiahighiesti- > < .;> j; -■'< \ 7!.7;inate);at; .5i.,.>..-?.:..-iv.".:Ji..-.-.-.'.w.iv:v:/ 6,dOO;^jO^ 0

The.reUef to the provinces on the: • ■ T I kr .transfer is: „i,..v-;i.^i.;i.^v..;w.; r1,500>; ?:<tt"-'Q The ; jlocal;.posts will .cost;si29o/.y ; •;.. ■■■'■ .*:<•■•'< | '^„;i ! ',iiod^ipgiiiir72isopfcffißelief.'tor>'.' •■:=: -;" I .?, the, provinces; by ; the'transfer,; • • is 1 " "say ■;■ v , ;,>.;.:.;...•..;•• ~/..'.*.,i;vi ;••!..•..■; :< 2,500 s 0 'Cj ■This" sum, added jtp;the -,59,600/. gives 63,600/^ . be^ng; within' ailittle of >half the>neti CustomsJ So .much! for ' ( the, future,; and npv? for one glaneej ;'at/' tij i e1' ilpast..V.'.'''s^ef']pf9™iised; .the ..prpyihces ; three-eighths'''in -;i '85fe\'^.iTtf^_V5?e"^h'ati''wre;h.a,ye . actually'done or' are preparing tp'do. ' \ ', j7 ,;,. ; Gross 'Customs <fw\Bs<£si^!iy..' i £l}Z,4\jl .j7ld 'D'educ^ißbstof collection .........'' 12,803 8: l] -,! ii-ijet' I .y;:iJi.v^...H.' s;.:i6'4,eid 14^:2; ! Grossetistbtosilßs6-57; n' ; "'' ''•'•'''' '■■;V; j fi((estimaied)iV{..^:'.U^^l32,oop ; - ;:;i • | Cost of collection(esti- .: i : .-.- .i:= >-n j J ./mated)^ i av...v..v:..^;n i 14 i 806 V j Jtet i^A.v^,,,...v;l.:{ .-.:;'■.-, .117,200 : onoj "V^'/'^ '•!':•'!?■ :''!-'-.'-^;- ! " M^2l,Blb';l9.;^ - iTaif?ne'tVtwo! .year;.;; J, .^ iV,, ':'.:l'H. lXo^oaVs.-.V?!' -'Payments by n GeWeral'' •': '"7" '" !':"• "-, "J"' .'/ J, | -i Goverrinient, -1856^ 1i£55,p00li£55,p00 . ' ' : ; • ." ! ■InIS'ST-Ssth'ree^eigKtha- !49;500V ; - ;; : ' i Estimated surplus, on - ; ; ' | the two yearaf;......^, .10,000................',;„,,-. i ' ■ Jl^l'i'-il^ *l\-' ;/'':H;iS4,SOO 0 o| Jn excess of .one-half net on two,. . „ ... „ ; ■ ru.^ye a j^ ; vi.l v f:i;";^; v ;i^.-"..J.^"^^'3,594 : l'O ; .*| H, thfe'whole of tlje.terri-1 ftofial:revemie:A' :j;^i''''/V-V.C': '..."")',.'■•. *.V:,- -.-V'! ■v Ybu se^ byhpwniucHwe hare been' better than our word."' I;trust fan Will think"&at;iri!m'atter ofJflnance! we;have Redeemed our promises/ : I ;j trust iwe -may always '> be as fdith- ; keep cour^pledges to the?country. -And for myself ;I'haVecfnow butito say that I; hope ; that lihavei/redeemediinyown promisei. of, v this , evening,;. and! r that I ; shall be thought %p ..hayg sAaccafde^ in,conducting you to .an; itit'eliigipjel and'saMsfactpry result., • : , ; „. y'\ MrV'llichmbnd' sat down, amid,loud : and pror .■tfacCed!ap^l^use^;/';■''.'"' : '. w '. : ;.-!,"■ '; : ./■>,'.■,:--; >■•