Colonial Expenditure.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7066, 11 February 1893, Page 2

Colonial Expenditure.

- (Hobart Mercury.) Tbe gross expenditure of tbe seven Australasian colonies in carrying on their Governments amounted to no less than £31,423,732 for the year 1891, but the ac’ual net expenditure was £31,922,362. The last amount is reached by deducting the working expenses of railways, post offices, telegraphs, j etc., which amount to £9 501,370. The expenditure for different purposes is as follows .—General administration, £2,363,221 } law and protection, £2,877,693 ; religion science, and education, £3 637,135 ; hospitals and charitable institutions, £952,000 ; public works and services, £l4 619,439 j interest on public debt and redemption of loans £7.702,379 ; other expenses, £271.948 The sum spent on defences is £815,177 a year, for which the colonies get but very moderate value. The amount ought to be sufficient to provide a very efficient system, but there can never be efficiency or economy, as long a* there are seven different systems independent of each other, and seven separate administrations. This fact points to tbe necessity of Federation for defence purposes, if nothing else, whilst we may doubt whether tbe colonies would not do better if they made some distinct agreement with the Mother Country in regard to tbe defences that they may deem to be necessary. Some Imperial system plus local volunteers might be both cheap and efficient, while the existing no system is neither the one or the other. The police cost the colonies £1,042,765, which may be said to be at the rate af 5s per head of tbe inhabitants, and which, surely, is a goodly sum. We may surmise that as population grows more dense the relative cost of the police will be leas, as a large expense is now incurred in providing protection for thinlypeopled districts. The sum spent on religion by tbe seven Governments appears to be only £14,626, a fact which will rejoice the hearts of those, and they are many, who think that the State should not meddle with religion in any way. Science and education absorb £2,622,509, a fact creditable to tbe colonies, as is also the large amount spent in charitable institutions. The cost of the administration of the Government is not large, all things considered, for tbe bulk of the expenditure is devoted to matters which may be said to give a direct return to the people.