THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1876.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 397, 20 October 1876, Page 2

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1876.

The Supplementary Financial Stateinent is now before us. Its figures verify in nearly every particular the broad facts stated for so long by Mr. Macandrew, that Otago is to be the milch cow for the Colony, while her land fund and railway revenue are taken from her. For making these statements, which are now proved accurate beyond dispute, it is not to bs forgotten that Mr. Macandrew has been branded by his Excellency's advisers as an agitator, responsible for the dissatisfaction existing in this Proyince. Otago's land fund for the rix months ending 30th June. 1877, is estimated* at Otago £115,440 Canterbury (for same period) 152,160 Auckland ... ...' . ... .' 21,955 Taranaki ... ...'l.'. .... 26,023 Wellington ... . ... ".,.-.,. 13^580 . Hawke'sßay .',... "''.;.' 13,580 Nelson ... '...-'■ : .-„- -8240' Marlborough ' ,viv : :,U 4135 Westland ... '•;.'.''' ;: ';:. ,4380 The charges forthe same period against this estimated land revenue are as follows. The Dr. or Cr. balance is also shown:— Net Balance. £ b. d, £ b. d. Otago ... 114,195 14 5 . 1244 5 7 Canterbury 77,053 3 6 75,106 16 6 Auckland 82;293 6 9 Dr. 60,338 6 9 Taranaki ... 11,894 11 3 13,130 8 9 Wellington 60,688 13 7 : Dr. 46,833 13 7 Hawke'sßay 16,874 15 „ S*94 1 5 Nelson ...26,117 7 8 „ 17,577 7 8 Marlborough 7461 7 2 ,-,.•. 3326 7 2 Westland... 19,305 12 9 „ 14.925 12 9 Otago's land fund for the year ended 31st March, 1876, is put down in the statement of receipts as £193,347 12s. sd. What encouragement havp we tosuppose that the current year will : show a better return ? '' Possibly the '25 per cent increase in price is whatis relied on. If it be so disappointment is certain. Canterbury's revenue is also too highly assessed..With the reduction in the price of wool, necessitating in this Colony the repayment by the runholders of nearly half a-million of money received as advances upon the clip in excess of.what the value has proved to be, the buyingup of the runs will be very much checked for a time. So far as Otago is concerned we believe the balance, instead of £2400 for the trwelvemonthsto credit for division among the counties as residue of land fund, the result will be a Dr. balance of something very near £20,000. According to the Government statement the Dr. balance to be borne by the Consolidated fund is £145,000 on behalf of the Provinces —whose yearly diminishing land revenue is less than the yearly increasing charges to be supposititiously charged against the diminishing quantity. Of this £145,000 Otago will have to contribute in the ordinary course of presenttaxation one-thud, orabout £46,000. In addition to this Otago loses the capitation allowance, and also her railway revenue, estimated at £150,000. For pointing out this result .ever since the last session.: of Parliament, Mr. Macandrew is, according to his Excellency's advisers, an agitator. The people of Otago, who elected as their Superintendent to guard their interests one who has unflinchingly done his--duty, and whose far-seeing vigilance—much despjsed and scoffed at—has proved true, will have a very different Stitle to bestow. r.]..,.-. <k« ■ • -