THE Otago Daily Times.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 239, 25 September 1862, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times.

" Ineenium viam aut fiiciam."

DUNKDIN. TiIURSD vY, SEPTEMBER 25.

Mrt. Dillon Bell's temporary acceptance of the office of Colonial Tre-Hurer, took place under very unfavorable cirsunistances, in so *ar that in the preparation of his financial statement, he labored under very great disadvantages. The loss of a large jwrtion of the official documents, by the wreck of the White Swan, deprived the Colonial Treasurer of many valuable and reliable data, and but for the corteous assistance rendered him by his predeces nor in office (Mr. Reader Wood), it js probable that the financial statement would have had to be postponed for an indefinite period, until the mining documents could have been to a certain extent replaced, from Auckland. Under the circumstances, it was not without leehrtgs of admiration, mingled with astonishment, that the House listened to a statement of the Colonial finances, certainly not less able ia the analytical skill with which the sublet was treated, than any that htrl yet besa presented to the .New Z&tland Legislature. The course pursued by Mr. Bell wai the one usually adopted on similar occasion? by custodians of the public revenue, aad in his review of the finance accounts for the year just expired Mr. Bell had certainly a more pleasur able tisk than occasionally falls to the lot of both Imperial and Colonial Treasurers He had the happy lot to declare a surplus.* and a very creditable surplus too, considering the supplementary items which had been charged against the revenue. He was thus spared the painful task of endeavoring to find amidst a labyrinth of statistics, an°apoiogy for, or cause of an excess of expenditure over r.enne, such as Messrs. Foold and Rechbare hue to make to their accommodating Chambers | The condition of the Colonial finance was undoubtedly a subject for congratulation. The total Ordinary Revenue of the colony for the financial year 1861-2 was L 378.790 against L 229.790 received in the preceding year,°beinan increase of L 149,000. We find on reference° that this increase is greater in amount by l L4o,ooothau the whole Ordinary revenue of i the colony for the year 1 856, auJ within a few j pounds of the whole Ordinary and Territorial I Revenue in 1853. In addition to the Ordinary j Revenue, derivable from Custom's duties the I postal, judicial, and other departments of the i General Government, there were other sums I including savings on the Civil List, which brought up the total amount available for the service of the year 186 i-2 to L 355,020. We find on consulting the statistics of the Registrar General that this sum is more than double the ordinary revenue in 1858, thus showing what enormous strides the colony has taken°in the short space of three years. Mr. Bell then proceeds to explain what had been done with the money. ( We find tint the expenditure, although less by nearly LB.OOO than the sum? that had been appropriated was nearly double that of the preceding year. The total actual expenditure a v the service of the year was Ll 88.975. Turning again to thfc Statistical Tables of the Registrar-Gene-ral, we find.this sum exceeded by nearly Ll 0,000 the whole ordinary revenue of tie colony in 1858. It will thus be seen that the facilities for expenditure have, rather more than kept pace with the increase in revenue Beside* the expenditure in the actual service of the colony, there are varions supple, mentary item*. In 18G0 a Debenture Act was passed, in order to extend over three years the payment of the Unauthorised Supplementary Expenditure up to that time Mr Bell informs the House that the favorable state of the colonial finances had induced the paying off of that sum out of "the revenue of 1861-2, thus making a f urther charge of L.25,000. Besides this item, the supplementary expenditure for the year 1861 * was estimated by Mr. Bell at L 10,652, for which the House would be called upon to vote After paying off aU the* itam, an J returning' ! to the several Provincial Government* three 3

eightHs of their' Custom's receipts; a sum amounting in the aggregate to L 127.350, Mr. BeU stated there would"bea^^surplus of more thanL3O,Oop. The Colonial Treasurer justly assumed that this favorable result would bj a subject of congratulation to,the House. The supplementary expenditure of the year had been occasioned to,a cbasiderable extent by the necessary increase in the General Government departments, in this Pro riacc, and also by a great increase ia the charges for printing and stationery and the cost of taking the triennial censuH. . ' °

It was satisfactory for Mr Bell to find, that in almost every case the items of revenue had exceeded the amounts estimated by his predecessor. He stated that the Custom?, which had been estimated to produce L 240,000' had realised L339,C«0. (We find oa reference that the actual amount of the Customs duties ! was L 339.393.) Tbe Postal revenue had also exceeded, by over L4OOO, the sum estimated, hi regard to this latter item, Mr Bell paid a flattering compliment to the management of Mr Crosbie Ward, but we think that the result was as much dne to the-increased correspondence consequent "on the vast progress of the mercantile aud general interests in°this Province. Mr. Bell justly stated that the increase in the Customs duties was "specially " due to the development of the gold fields of " Otago." . :

*. While on the subject of Custom* Jdnties, it may^be interesting to show what was the proportionate contribution of the papulatba of each Province. We find that, aecardin rto the last census, the Europsan population of the North Island was 41,641, and its Customs revenue for the finauciai year LI3-2.163. But it may tend to elucidate th 3* subject mare clearly if we take each Proving sepante'.r. Thus, in—-

Auckland, eacli European coatribatetl £3 3* 8J raranaki, do 3 2 3 Wellington "'." 3 1 4? Hawke's Bay * 3 4 n j" But it must also be borne in mind that there are somewhere about 60,000, natives in the N Torth Island, and if we adopt the estimate made in 1853, by Mr. C. Richmond, who fixed (too moderately we think) the native contribution to the revenue in Customs duties at L 16,000 per acnum, we find that the average contribution of the colonists in the North Island, is reduced to L 2 19s. 9£ per head. In the Middle Island the Provinces stand thu3 : v , . £ s. d. Nttsoa 2 14+ JlsrlLorongli 0 1G 2 * Canterbury ** 2 14 q* n^r\ 1....'.".".".;'."!! 4 8113 xmUnand , t 4 r~J -.nakiug the average indiv.'du ,1 contribution ol •hemhabitautsofthe Middle Island L 2 17s 2|d. It will be seen that although the averagtjcf t!;e Islands is tolerably equal, that of the Provinces is by na means so—Ota^o payin" by far the largest share. Comparing tha actual expenditure with the sums appropriated, Mr. Bell shews a savin' of about L 7.500, LSOOO of which appears to have been made in the item of New Buildings Mr. Hell had, therefore, reasonable grouuds for assuming that the House would agiee that the amount placed at the disposal of =the Government had been satisfactorily accounted for, and economically expended ; and he paid a just tribute of praise to the preceding Ministry. We quite endorse Mr. Bell's remarks— " That in matters of Finance we should reco<*--41 nise no party considerations, but give credit *• to any Governmsnt where credit is due."

In a future issue we shall continue our review of Mr. Bell's financial statement.

We arc told tliat a parcel of tweaty-seren ounces of gold was brought into town yesterday from the Post Office Creek, somewhere on the JVest Taieri Road, in the direction of the Vvaipori.

I We publish in another colmim a " manual for new arrivals," which will be found to oontnin much interesting information respecting the various; gold fields of Otago. This manual is well wortli the careful perusal of every miner, especially those-freshly arrived ia the province Every gold fidd has its special attractions and the miner may, by looking over the "ma! nual, obtain the requisite information to enable Inm to decide in what direction he will turn his step?.

uh reference to some letters which appeared in our columns a few days ago, making charges of iiK-mlity, &c, against tl)e deUvery clerks at the lost Office, we are authorised to state that any person who has been subjected to rudeness or improper language, or Ims aoy other just cause of complaint against an officer of the department in the performance of his duty, is requested at once to bring the matter before the Postmaster whose express injunctions to the clerks are, that the utmost civility and politeness be shown to the public. The writers cf the letters referred to should communicate with the Postmaster. We have preferred reftommendhi"; this course to giving up their names, in accordance with an applicat tioa to tliat eSect made to us from the Post Uffiee.

A coir spondent, under the signature of Justice," writer to us complaining of the wav m which the contract for Stafford-street is beinearned oat. His letter is too personal (if even not libellous) for insertion ; but the substance of his complaint is, if true, of sufficient public importance to warrant us in giving it the publicity of our columns. It is as follows:-" The street from Hope-street to Melville-street was to be 1 made thirty feet wide, and in front of Jones's new ! hotel w as to be raised (according to plan) about three feet higher than the old leveL This is I what was, and trhnt ought, to be done; but wj»at is done is as folios-Raised about six inches, and widened to twenty-seven feet; so on goes tLc metd, and the actual saving to the contractors is aboat three hundred and sixty yards of earth, worth, say one shilling' and sixpence per yard, which is about twenty-seven pounds sterling." He angjerfs a meeting of the residents in the street, and of the ratepayers in general to consider the matter, and look after their own interests, for he states that the str ct will eventually have to be raised to the proper level at a further outlay and inconvenience. We coaimend the subject to the consideration of the Town Board. . - . «

Parties in town who have friends on the newdiggings, may have another opportunity of communicating with them. We notice in our advertising columns that the individual who rejoices in the name of «Jlc-d Coat" intends making another visit to the ne«r diggings tor the purpose of earrymg letters r Mb charge fcr ea<* ikter being 2i.6d. * ■ ■ ■.

The performince of the English Opera Troupe at the Princess Theatre last night was again a most successful affair, the grand sceaa from »11 Trovatoro," in particular, eliciting rapturous applause. The "Lottery Ticket" concluded the evening's cnterfcunmaat,-with Charles Young as Wormwood. , "Hamlet" was repeated last evening at the Theatre rfoyal, with the same east as on previous occasion,. The farce was «The Secret" Ma(lime Duret takes a complimentary benefit on Friday,evening, when she is announced to apPear as Jack Saeppard. J ~,,-, v The Wellington Adaetiser ia noticing our strictures upon the reprehensible practiceindul-ed mby the Ne m Zealand Examiner*^ Kn L e . land Gazette, London, of quoting largely irSm our columusi not only without acknowledgment but as from their >««, correspondents," «« that we have unwittingly fallen into a similar fault, by quoting the Parliamentary reports of the Advertiser, and crediting them to the Independent. We regret that the error should have occurred, aud can only say that it was quite unintentional. In some instances we have qcoted debates from both thzAdcaliser and the Independent, and by our inadveriance the acknowledgment has been made to the one paper only. A subscription has been started by the settlers in the Waikatip District for the purpose of purchasing a dray and team for Maori Jack, who it ' will be remembered behaved so gallantly in saving the life of Mr. Mitchell, on the occasion of the boat accident on Lake Wakitip, some short time back. Mr. Branigan, Commissioner of lohce,biojghttho list down to Dunedin with him the other day, on his return from his expeditioa to the Nokomai. The conduct of Maori Jack on the occasion referred to, was beyond all praise. and everybody must acknowledge the propnety of his receiving a substantial r£co<mi. ttonof his services ia the cause of humanity. A c should mention that Air. Mitchell is not in a yusition to make any adequate recompense to his preserver The amount on the list brought down i>y Mr. Branigan is £37 10 5 ., contributed by 82 subscribers, m sums varying from 30s. to 5s- We should be happy to receive any subscriptions for this worthy object, and we are authorised to state ihaf^lr. Brauigan will also receive any sunJß taat may be subscribed for transmission to the committee. As the facts of this ease may not be c very fresh m the minds of our readers, we will give a brief account of the accident Mr WiL *" Rogers with Mr. Mitchell and Maori Jack, left Lees 4 Station atthe foot of the Lake on the 9th of August We give the rest in the words of our •jwn correspondent as written at the time — .|jauj.v caiwaed, and turned kee! up When Ur Rogers and Mr. Mitchell almost howS^TtS; cpuuaued fora whde hour, and t^ioe durin- that note did Jack sive i^h Mr. ttogers and Mr Alu.-.V.h, by bnagmg tlwa, back to the boat wS ahakea from thrir noU. A t last, wish aa-Xr lw? p.ete wlow Mr. Mitcheli, on rkiag to tii wund himself under the boat, aud seTzing on Jrf tte tawarti, he managed to find breathing spS betweea the water aud the boats bottoL But aooiter ses turmag her over, he waT ajSa seised oyJacK, aad when brought to the h^ poarMr.Ho^rshuid^ppeared Mr. MilcheS mw utterly powerless to hold oa himself, was held uS fortaaately were jamm^ under the«a?^,»iSl ua^red to paddle to th, >hore, distal abSr'aS S and reached there about nine Tuf TW to,, inore ' fclcd Th-m to* Ssk ud ffM?^ I"^' enaand his loss wUi be mach felt by aUwhfff wf' pleasure of knowing Lisa." J Who had tne ,