MAJOR ATKINSON AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

Patea Mail, Volume III, Issue 300, 2 March 1878, Page 2

MAJOR ATKINSON AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

In another part of present issue, will be found a summary of speech dciiveiel by Major Atkinson at New Plymouth. The following extracts are from the full report published in the Taranaki Herald of Friday last. IMMIGRATION AND PUBLIC WORKS. Major Atkinson said—lt may not be inopportune, now that we are, as it were, reaching d resting point in the scheme of immigration and public works,- to look back and see what we have really accomplished, and what our financial position is at the present day. lam not, of course, able to tell you anything new upon the point, but I may be able to summarise it, as it were, to save you the trouble of searching it out for yourselves from the financial docu- ▼ inents. In 1870 the population of the colony was 250,000, that is, when the Public Works Scheme was first introduced ; the public debt was seven and a-quarter millions, the consolidated revenue for that year was £930,000, the land fund was £208,000', making a total in round numbers of £1,150,000; and there were outstanding, but included in that public debt, £618,000 of Treasury bills, including’ some £90,000 issued that year to pay the deficit of the year before. I want to call your attention to that fact because it is said that Treasury bills have been so multiplied since the Government of 1870 came into power. There were actually issued at that lime £618,000 of Treasury bills. The permanent charges amounted to £536,000 ayear. Now, Just year—that is, the beginning of this financial year—-the population had increased to 400,000 ; the public debt, (less cash- in hand £980,00 D and accrued sinking fund) had risen to £18,250,000, the total debt being a little over £20,000,000. The permanent charges had increased to £1,180,000, and there wete outstanding Treasury Bills to- the amount of £832,009, that is to say, the' Treasury Bills during the interval, bald: increased to £214,000, but as we had been obliged to' assist Wellington, Auckland, and Westland with loans to aid their Provincial receipts to the extent of £809,000, the increase is not large. The consolidated revenue had increased to £l,-961,000, and the Land Fund ffy £1,U35’000. In round numbers the revenue for the year was £3,000,090. In 18<0 nuchal f of our total revenue, Consolidated and Land Fund together, was required to pay the interest on our public debt. Last year only one-thud, in round numbers, was required for the same purpose. It took, in 1870, of our consolidated revenue, foursevenths to pa}' our interest and permanent charges ; last year it took seven-twelfths. A very satisfactory state of affairs considering the burden we have taken upon ourselves. The total increase in oitr public debt lias been £11.000,090. For that expenditure we have some 860 miles of railway, some 3,260 miles of telegraphs, and--2,300 miles of road ; we have obtained,also, four lighthouses, our public buildings, and native lands, and about 100,000 immigrants free and others, so that I think, looking at the way money was necessarily spent, we must lather congratulate ourselves than otherwise on the assets we have got for our money. That was the state of affairs on the 30th June last. For' the current year I made ample provision,as reference to the Financial Statement will show you, by taking a sufficient amount from the Land Fund of Otago and Canterbury, for what appeared to me justifiable reasons, with which L need not now trouble you, but which can be found fully act forth in the Financial Statement,to balance the accounts, and leave a reasonable balance at the end of this; year.Tiiat, then, was the position in which the' finances of the colony were when the present Government took office ; and not to trouble you with any unnecessary figures,I may say by a statement laid on the taorc ef the House by Sir G. Grey, which shewed that he would have a deficit of £138,000 on the 30th June instead of a surplus of £IOO.OOO, which I had provided ; and after that, supplementary estimates were passed by the House, not included in that statement, amounting to £IIO,OOO, so that the deficit we have to face on the 30th June next, according to the Government’s own shewing, is £250,000, for which Government have made no provision whatever. To my mind;- that is a very serious matter ; no doubt, with care, there will be a considerable saving upon the estimates, because there are many items down that are not often wanted,- such, for instance, as the bonus for the various trades, and items of that sort. I daresay there may be a saving of £1:00.000, or perhaps a little more, so that, looked at in the best possible way, the Government, by the manner in which they have taken the Land Fund, have caused a deficit for the present year, of at least £150,000, and that, for a Government who came in to rectify the finance anl make both ends meet,- was not a very happy beginning.

NATIVE POLICY. After contrasting Sir George Grey s and Mr Sheehan’s action in Opposition, and as occupants of the Government Benches,Major Atkinson said—l was much gratified to read in Mr Sheehan’s statement, with regard to the confiscated lands, that he did not intend in any way to abandon the course pursued by the late Government. That is to say that they meant absolutely to retain the confiscated land, as fairly and legitimately forfeited by the natives through rebellion. But I confess I look with very great regret upon the course Mr Sheehan pursued when he first assumed the reins of power, and that was to stop Major Brown’s proceeding with the survey of the Waimate Plains, The late Government had absolute confidence in Major Brown, and after very carefully watching

kim, we were satisfied that ho was taking the most judicious course for acquiring that land ; and I do not question at all that, if he had not been Interrupted, he would now have been surveying the block. I will express no further opinion on the matter (because I do not think it prudent) than to say, that I am very glad indeed that Mr Sheehah has taken this stand, and I trust that the temporary interruption of Major Brown's proceeding with the survey may not interfere with the acquisition of the land, and its opening for settlement.

The N.Z. Times protesting against Mr Bunny’s appointment as Commissioner of Annuities, &c., says— fi When it is remembered that Mr Bunny has been struck off the roll of solicitors in England, that lie was struck off the roll of the Supreme ’Court here, and that the Sunretne Court still declines to allow him to.practice, this appointment must he taken in connection with the whole attitude of the present Government towards the highest Court of Justice of the colony. It is calculated in every way to shake conlidencein the Administration, and to confirm the suspicion that the loud talk about public interests is to cover a great deal of private jobbery.”

The Wanganui Chronicle in an article on present and past Governments concludes —“The kind of ability that is most in request .just now is just of that description with which the Government are peculiarly endowed —the ability to create imaginary ‘difficulties for the purpose of securing a

kind of reputation by afterwards dispelling —and the further ability of securing sticking to office by practicing a species of trickery and chicanery such as no previous Ministry cvfcr stooped to. The danger m, that one of these days they will commit some act of folly that will not ‘only end in their own ruin as a Government —that would be no matter for regrdt—but the pernicious effects of which will '"sefiously tax the efforts of abler heads to repair.’*

■Strangers and country settlers coming ! tc Carlyle, are very often at a loss to know which is the best and cheapest General ■Drapery and Clothing •Establishment in fire district. Jt. A. Adams’ Cardigan ■House,'offers special advantages that can be met with nowhere else in the district. He keeps the largest and best assorted stock of every description of drapery goods, imported direct—and from the best colonial bouses ; which, being bought on the'most advantageous terms, and having thorough knowledge of the business, enables him to offer goods of sterling quality at puces that cannot 'be improved on by any other house in New Zealand. Every article is marked in plain figures, from which there-is ho deviation ; so that ■inexperienced people arc as well served as the best judges, fire terms being net ‘cash, without rebate or abatement Of any ■kind. Note the address—K. A. Adams ; Cardigan House, nearly opposite Town Hall, Carlyle. —advt.

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