BANQUET TO THE HON J. VOGEL AT DUNEDIN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 8, 9 January 1874, Page 2

BANQUET TO THE HON J. VOGEL AT DUNEDIN.

[The following telegraphic report appeared in the Wellington 'Independent,' of Wednesday last,]

The banquet to Mr Yogel on Monday evening was a great success. The Superintendent was in the chair. The Mayor was vice-chairman, supported on the right by the Governor and on the left by Mr Yogel. The captain and officers of he French war ship Vire were present, and most of the leading citizens.

His Excellency, in returning thanks, made a capital speech. He hoped in the course of his term of office to earn and deserve socne portion of the respect which they paid to his office. He wished to live quietly among the colonists, a»d to familiarise himself with tbeir institutions, feelings, and character, rather than pass through the various cities in the colony in what was termed state progress. He spoke in high terms of Mr Vogel's abilities, and said it must be roost encouraging to a public man to find himself sustained in bis policy by the mass of his fellowcountrymen. He (the Governor) bad been struck by the vast resources of the Province. He spoke in favor of the Uuiversity and public schools, and regretted that there should be any want in point of numbers of such scolars. The gaol was by no means what it ought to be. He impressed upon them the necessity of a reformatory.

The Chairman proposed Mr Vogel's health in an eloquent and exhaustive speech, dwelling upon Mr Vogel's career with great minuteness. He then informed the company that £500 had been subscribed, and would be laid out in purchasing a piece of plate and a testimonial to the Premier.

Mr Vogbl expressed bis thanks for the splendid demonstration, and said that, he was greatly gratified at receiving such a mark of approval from the place in which he commenced his political career. After referring at some length to the educational and other institutions of the province, he asked the meeting to allow him to enter upon some matters which were most important, not only to Bunedin, but to the colony. He complained that there had been much misrepresentation as to the indebtedness of the colony. So many statements had been hazarded as to what might or would bo the indebtedness of New Zealand in certain circumstances, that the impression had grown in some quarters that we did not actually know what was the amount of our debt; but if different persona dealt with different conditions the results would, of course, not agree. The absolute position of the finances of the colony was easily explained. On the 31st of Juue last the amount of colonial and provincial indebtedness, after deducting the accrued sinking fund, was £9,620,000, of which £3,156,000 w«8 provincial. Although it was quite true that the colony was liable for the provincial indebtedness, that debt was secured upon the land revenue of the colony. When he stated that the land revenue from July Ist, 1872, to 20th December, 1873, exclusive of gold and native revenue, amounted to £1,370,000, it would be seen that the provincial indebtedness need not be regarded as a very serious liability as long as if, had at its back !he land revenue of the colony. There remained to be negotiated on tbe 30th June last £2,352,000 of authorised loans, making with tbe amount before stated £11.974,000. There must be added £1,886,900 required to complete railways authorised up to June 1872, thus making a total of £13,860,000, which would be the debt when all these railways namely 767 miles, were completed, when a million had been spent on immigration; £200,000 upon native lands, £400,000 upon rouda iv the $orth Island, and £300,000 upon the goldfield works. Then the debt would amount to £13,860,000, but that was not our present debt. The amount stated included six millions for

public works, of which, on the SOlh June last, only about two millions had been expended. These figures did not iuclude the cost of the railways authorised last session. It was absurd to suppose that a trunk line through each island could be constructed for two or threo million pounds. Such lines would cost not less than seven or eight millions. To show our ability to meet increased liabilities he would state the amount of the revenue for the six months ending December for the years 1870, 1871, 1872, and 1873. It was in 1870, £474,000; in 1871, £485,000; in 1872, £494,000; and in 1873, £625,000. Thus, during the first half of the present financial year, fhere wns an increase over the corresponding period of 1872-3 of £131,000, of equal to an annual increase of £262,000. If then the public debt was increasing, our means of meeting it were also increasing. The land revenue showed even more extraordinary progress. In 1870 it amounted to £194,000; in 1871 to £230,000; in 1872, £500,000; in 1873, £1,116,000. The receipts lost year weie in fact more than all those of the previous three years. Mr Yogel referred to the speech he made during last session, and which was reported in Hansard, in which he showed that tho percentage of the burden of tho public debt compared with the average earnings of the people, was not heavy, especially when it was considered thaa the indebtedness of New Zealand represented nofc only an ordinary public debt, but wns a debt including the most of the public works, and part of which was secured by an immense landed estate. He contended that tho only true test of the burden of a public debt was the manner in which it pressed upon the earnings of the community. Mr Yogel dilated upon the importance of immigration. He urged that the Agent General had a great many difficulties to contend with, and that an absent man should receive every consideration. He (Mr Yogel) hoped that tho new system would work well. In October the nominations were 1130; in November, 2223; while a part return for December showed 2389. It might be depended upon that the Government attached the very greatest importance to the successful prosecution of immigration. After explaining the difficulties to be encountered in organising a large department like that of public works and its wide diffusion, the hon gentleman submitted the following statement, showing tho progress of railway works throughout the colony: — Ksipara to Biverheatl, 17 miles under contract ; Riverhead to Auckland, 23 miles — surveys prepared for contract ; Auckland to Onehuogn, open and. nearly completed ; Auckland to Mercer, 46 miles, under contract ; Mercer, southward about 40 miles, surveys prepared for contract ; Napier to Pakipaki, 18 miles, under contract j Pakipaki to Waipawa, and Woipawa to Waipukarau, 27 miles, under contract in part, the rest next month ; Waitara to New Plymouth, 11 miles, under contract ; Wanganui to Manawatu, 58 miles, and Wellington to Upper Hutt, 14 miles, under contract ; Upper Hutt to Featherston, 25 miles, surveys being prepared for contracts j Nelson to Foxhill, 13 miles, under contract, and 5^ miles ready for contract ; Picfcon to Blenheim, 17 miles, under contract ; Brunner to G-reymouth, 7 miles under contract. North of Christchurch — Addington to Rangiora, 19 miles, open; Rangiora to Kowia, 15 miles, under contract. South of Christchurch — Selwyn to Rakaia, 13 miles, open ; Rakaia to Ashburton, 18 miles, under contract ; Ashburton to Temuka, 32 miles, advertised for contract; Temuka to Timaru, 9 miles, under contract ; Timaru to Waitaki, 41 miles, surveys for contracts being prepared; Rangiora to Oxford, 7 miles, and 14 miles under contract; Kaiapoi to Eyreton, 14 miles, surveys for contract prepared; Rolleston to Malvern, 35 miles, under contract ; Racecourse to Southbridge, 34 miles, under contract; Waitaki Bridge, tender called for completion in 18 months; Waitaki toMoeraki, 39 miles, under contract; Moeraki to Duuedin, 52 miles, surveys for contracts being prepared ; to Clutha, 51 miles, under contract ; Port Chalmers to Dunedin, 9 miles, open; Clutha to Mataura, 50 miles, surveys for contracts being prepared; Mataura to Invercargill, 40 miles, under contract; Oamaru to Waireka, preliminary surveys only; Waipaha to Cromwell, preliminary surveys only, Tokomairiro to Lawrence, 22 miles, under contract; Winton to Kingston, 70 miles, 23 miles under contract and plans ready for calling for tenders for the balance.

[The remainder of Mr Vogel's speech appeared in our issue of yesterday.]