WHIPS OF SCORPIONS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 341, 17 September 1875, Page 3

WHIPS OF SCORPIONS.

The Goldfields are indebted to Mr. J* 0. Brown fov his carefully prepared speech on the second reading The Abolition Bill. A more practical speech was not made during the debate-of the following extract, which entirely bears out our views, is worth consideration:—■ We have heard a great ileal about the way i'.i which it will affect the GoUiislds, and we heard a question put with out notice the other day. X have myself applied to Ministers, and tliey have told me, in answer to my questions, "Oh, iE it is so, we do not know ifc." They make a guess at what it means, but I want tho facts. This Bill is supposed to be a special Loon to the Gold fields, but I have come to the conclusion that it has the very opposite tendency. I ask honorable members' attention to the following table,: which will prove my views:— Actual Expenditure in the Province of Otago on Goldfields for year ending 31st March, 1575. Dunstan— Local roads and £ £ £ £ tracks ... 1,595 Main roads ... 5,55G Tuapeka- 10,451 Loealror.uK and tracks ... 1,242 Main roads ...8,1 Go Wakatipu— 8,407 Local roads and tracks ...4,102 'Main roads ...4,334 Mount Ida— •—— 8,496 Local roads and tracks ... 1,033 Main roads ...4,307 Waikaia-- —J— 5,940 Local roads and tracks ... 2.BSG Main roads ... 2.000 Goldfields (TV"orks, I;oad;s, and Bridges) 7-315 Goldfields Management ... 7,-534 Goldfields Revenue, 1575 ...£26,557 Gold Export Duty ~ ... 1],502

Excess of Expenditure over GoldiielUi; Unvenue and Export Duty £13,000 The iiil! proposes that the whole Goldfields revenue shall be expended upon the Goldfields, and that is made a great point in favor of the Bill. Now, the population of the Otago Goldfields is 18,258. Last year's expenditure per head wa3 about £3. Under the Local Government Bill the Goldfields revenue will he £38,1 ;59, or £2 2s. per head, showing a difference of 18s. per head in favor of present system. In preparing and submitting these figures I have done so with the greatest accuracy, and I can come, to only one conclusion—that the Bill, in its present shape, is not acceptable to the bulk of my constituents. I shall vote for the second reading of the Bill, in the hone that amendments will he made in Committee. I hope, wKari it comes out of Committee, the Bill willtio of such a character u,3 to l>e worthy of my support.