North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1895.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8167, 23 April 1895, Page 2

North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1895.

Surpluses, like the unemployed, we liavo rtlwuya with us ; and whilo the an nuil announooment is likely to nuko the intelligent smile, the Government mu-t calculato on tho fact that there are, nmongtit iho six 'hundred thousand odd poi'HoiiH who m^ko up thu population of the colony, some who will swallow thestnt Imont like a hoi>e does a bolus — without questioning. Marton was chosen by the Premier as the plnco tit which to make tho annual announcement of n largo surplus. This time it is L 430.031, and if the Promier thinks this statement will "bo hriilfd with delight throughout tho colony " he is reckoning too much on the gullibility of colonists. Sinco tho Mini.stiy took office, over four yo.irs <\p, >, 'hero It is bcon a large animal .surplus :ukl "> spito of this surplus t ho Hon. Mr Ward hid to admit that tho oolonitl debt had incro^sed by a million and a half. Hero we luvo tho anomaly of the public debt incriMHing, whilo tho Minibtry ,\nn mnci every year a lurgo surplus. Is this f>»ct alone not sulHciont to open tho eyes of people to thu roilisation tli.it a burp us of this sort is nothing loss than n largo deficit.

Ture Proinior says that tlio gr. S9 surplus of L4ift),oHl is made up of excoss of receipts i>vtT expondituro amounting to ljlli'),7'y>i t and tlio balinco cirriod forforvvvrd from last ypar of L290,2;J8. Of tho .surplus L 250,000 lias boon paid into tlio public works fund, leaving a net surplus of L 180.130. Tho Proinior lakes advantage of tho ignorancoof hi •. audience to stuff thorn with nonsense ot this sort, and thoso who would bo ablu to enlighten them are doprivod of tho oppi rtunity (tf doing ho, for the reason that tho M inistiy, in dt'fiwicQ of the ltw, wi hhold from public iLkiii tho bnl ince sheet of the colony. Tho Public lievenueH Act s-iys that withm a cortiin time after the ox^ piratiou of tho financial year tho Govoriiniont shall causo to be published tho accounts of the colony. Still tho Government do nothing of tho sort. They «re afraid to let tho light in on their figures, and think by this means that they will fasten tho imposition on tho minds of tho pooplo boforo tho Opposition Pres3Cin hdvo tho opportunity of tearing their figures to Utterc. If thin is not tho reason for tho withholding of the publication of tho public accounts whit is it ? Tlio (Jovernnu'iit know that if tho accounts wero published tho surplus would bo bombarded bo oftcctively by the Opposition Press that all that would bo left of tho thing would bo something less than a cypher. They therefore Becure to themselves tho ineffable pleasure of hugging tho belief that thoy have induced fjoino weak-minded people to boliovo for a timo that thoy havo a surplus !

Ijotu Captain Russell and Mr (Jeorgo Hutchison lmvo exposed most eftoctually the fallacy of Ministerial surpluses. Wo have already said that those bogus lurp'uses tiro made up of unexpended btlancea and divertod sinking funds, and have no moro connection with tho actual rovonuo and expenditure of tho colony than tho Premier's statement has with act ml fact. Tho gentlemen wo havo mentioned show that in 1801 -02 the Government obtained authority to spoiri, under the heading of public works, LGS ( J,I9(), and of this sum spent I/M)1,(i12. The difference between tho two sums is L 267,684, which is carriod forward to swell tho surplus. This amount is further increased by borrowing from tho sinking tundß of the colony. Tho public works figures have only to bo mado large enough and tho surplus cou'd bo increased to a million. 10. 1803-04 the votes for public works iiraounicd to L 003,068, and tho amount actually spent L 409,474. This left an available bUnnco to carry into tho surplus of L 273,594, and added to tho borrowing from tho sinking funds of L 284.500 mado a gross surplus of L 057,594, but thoro was a diflorenco (on tho wronpr side) betweon (revenue aiid expondituto of L 122.329, which lisifc tho gross surplus, according to Mr Ward's method of calculating, at something over LDOO,OOO.

Ik the Colonial Treasuror does not construct his balance sheets on this method, it is so near i', that the lion, gentleman will givo us credit for sticking n9 closoly as possiblo to tho text book on financo of which ho is tho author. The Premier whoa ho mado tho sUiomant at Marton announce ing a surplus, said it was information that would bo received with delight all over tho colony, and so it would if people could believe- it. But tho surplus is no surplus, but a deficit. At the end of the financial years 1892, 1893, and 1894 the Government cMmed largo surpluses, but will it be boliovod that in iheso years the actual deficits were, aa between tho revenue and expenditure of tho conioli'latod fund, as follows : 1892, L 238.335; 1893, L 168.39 2; 1894, LI 22,321). Those figuroß aro deduced from tho Government a own balancesheets, but in reality the deficits nro beHovod to have boen a groat deal more. When tho balanco-shoet for last year is published the deficits, if wo are not much mistaken, will bo larger than any of those mentionod. For tho last 40 yoars there has boen no New Zoaland Government that could lay claim to a gonuine surplus, and the attempt of the prosont Government to mislead the pooplo is in keeping with their whole administration. Is it not a fact that immediately after Mr Ward delivered an oflici^l statomenb in Oanwu claiming a surplus of L 350.000 ho hud to collect the land ti»x four or hvo months boforo its duo date in order to prevent tho colony defaulting 1 and is tho fact that tho Government his borrowed this yonr L 150,000 from tho Bink of Now Zealand on consols to be taken also as an indication that this sum has to bo added to the surplus. If wo aro to go on calculating on debts as part of our surplus wo shall ond in a financial tlough of despond before long.

A quantity of matter intended for tlnd issue is crowded out. The Rev. R. .S. Allan has withdrawn hm name from tlio list of candidates at picscnt bcfoic the vacant congregation at Otcpopo. Mails for Australian Colonies only, via Sydney, per Hauroto, close at Wellington at 1 p.m. on Thursday, the 25th, and are due in Sydney on the 30th. Nino Oamaru dogs remain in the Challenge Stakes of the Olago Coursing Club. Mr \V. Gardner, 2; Mr Geo. Jjvingstono, 2 ; Mr \V. Gardiner (us), 1 ; Mr G. GrimB ,Vaw, 2 ; and Mr J. Graham, 2. At a well attended meeting held on Saturday, at H«ikatcramca, re ttus formation of a Gaelic society, it was decided to forward lists to various persons in the district 110 canvass for members ami pa]l iv gcncr.il mooting for the election of oftiocc^ on (ho 4th May. It is the intention of the eociofcy to have four gatherings during the winter montha. A meeting of the committoo of the South Hchool was held last night previous to the meeting of householders, at which some (formal business was transacted. The com•mittoe passed hearty votes of thanks to Mr Oicagh (oliniiinan)aud to Mr Pmcl (Hccietaiy and tieasurcrj foi- the diligence and caro with which they had discharged the duties of thtic seftpttUw cffivoi,

The number of men employed on cooperative works last month wan 2237. There arc evidently ducks in the far Upper Waitaki. Messrs Alphcus Hayes (Waimate), Porter Hayes (Hakaterame.i) and H. Ross (Oamaru) bagged 126 duks, 4 swans, and various otlicr Bipeds in a two days' shooting excursion some sixty miles abovo Kurow. This is the record bag foi th<> Waitaki. Ducks were plentiful, but as usual there was some difficulty in petting at them. Mr Hodgkinson and his sons shot' four doer, which are desciibed as splendid animals. Deer are very plentiful, and some day in the near future may be classed amongst the pests of the country » Mr W. Herbert- Jones wan greotel with a larger audienco in the Public Hall last night. His lecture was most warmly received. His introduction and peroration were splendid examples of his powers of oratorj*, and the audienco were charmed. The scenes depicted were the most delightful views of New Zealand scenery, and were displayed on tho canvas by the faultless light of Messrs Cottroll and Scott, who skilfully manipulated the slides. This gi eatly enhanced tho effect and merit of as interesting, instructive and pleasing an entertainment as it has been tho privilege of an O.imaru audience to witness ; and it must ha\ c been gratifying to Mr Herbert- Jones to find his labors on behalf of New Zealand appicuiated as they were last night. St. Paul's Literary and Debating Society had a very large meeting last night. The session-room was crowded, and Mr J. Wilding presided. The subject was " The Now Woman : Aro her aspirations more commendable than those of her predecessor." Tho debate was opened ably by Mr M'Donald and Mr Sievwright, and the discussion evoked by the question was lengthy and interesting. The " new woman" was severely handled in the discussion, but tho voting resulted in her favor, which was largely in support of Mr M'Donald. Votes of thanks were accorded to the openers of the debate, and a pleasant and profitable evening uas concluded with a similar vote to the chairman. Next Monday tho meeting will be takeu up with a paper by Mr J. Wilding. A very pleasing ceremony took place on Saturday afternoon in Messrs M'Donald and M'Diarmid's establishment, when the workers assembled in the largo cutting room for tho purpos™ of making a presentation to Mr James M'Diannid and Miss Agnes Bain on tho eve of their approaching marriage Mr M'Donald, who made tjie presentation in an appropriate speech, wished the recipients all tho happiness which usually accompanies so felicitous a union. Mr M'Diarmid replied on behalf of Miss Bain and himself. He was sure that tho pleasant relations which had existed in tho past between all in the establishment, and which had prompted them to this kindness, would always continue. He thanked them very sincerely for their handsome presents. A sociable half hour was then spent in partaking of refreshments, which had been liberally provided. Tho presents, which took the form of a handsome marble clock and silver biscuit barrel, were procured from Messrs G. and T. Young. Some discussion is going on at tho present time over an alleged rich find of gold at Klderslio, and there seems to be an eagerness to get tho field opened up. This is natural enough, but what about the riparian rights ? In the first placo tho land is private pro perty, and there is a difficulty in getting on to it to mine ; and in tho second place there is the still larger question of liparian rights to be dealt with. Tho Macrewhenu.i riparian rights cost tho Government some LIO.OOO, and if that is so, the rights of the Kakanui will cost ten times as much ; indeed, we do not believe that LIOO,OOO will buy out the rights of the settlers on the Kakanui river to clean water. Alluvi.il mining is therefore out of the question, It might bo possible, under certain conditions, to carry on reefing without making much difference to the purity of the river, but it is not reefing but alluvial mining that finds work for a largo number of men, and it does not seem pos9iblo that sluicing will ever be permitted on the Kakanui river. It is known that gold exists on tho Kakanui river, for several men make a quiet living on its banks, only working a few days at a time ; but this work is carried on either under thecyesof the proprietor, or furtively ; in which latter case the man runs the risk of a prosecution, However, the finding of rich quartz on Kldorslie or Balruddery would make some stir in tho town and district, and we hope tho news is true that a rich find has been made, even if the discoverer leaves it to others to rediscover his discovery. Read diAYTOV, Gardivkii, and Co.'. advertisement at tho foot of tho third pages