PROVINCIAL— GENERAL.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 8, 18 June 1864, Page 3

PROVINCIAL— GENERAL.

In order to afford a clear insight into tho financial position of this Province, wo consider we cannot do better than make some extracts from tho leading article which appeared in our opening number, on the 2nd inst : — "The Province of Southland commenced tho financial year 1863 under brighter auspk-es than any other Province in Now Zealand. With no debt of its own — only a small proportion of that with which it was burdened on Separation, the interest and sinking fund on which amounted to £1,080 per annum, — we had a balance to our credit of £15,581 Bs, sd. That year was one of almost unexampled prosperity, unanticipated success. Notwithstanding that the Land Fund did not equal the estimate by, in round numbers, £11,000, the Customs' Revenue, the best test of prosperity, so far exceeded it that the tlireeeighths coming to our share, estimated at £6,000, realised £18,193. In all, the gross revenue of tho Province amounted to witliiu a few pounds of £104,000 — considerably exceeding the estimate ; and yet, at the end of that year, i.e., the 30th September, 1863, we find the Province debited with an over-draft of £ 47.78S 18s. 7d. The total expenditure during the year amounted to 151,730 14s. 3d. The entire revenue during this quarter was £14,776 17 lOd. ; the expenditure £57,473 14s 9d. Out of all this expenditure, the only item as regards Railways, appears untler the head of "Advance to Northern Railway," £1,877 10s. Under the head of Roads, vvo find expended in this quarter £21,216 16s. 3d. ; Public Works, £4,025 os. 7b. ; Steam Service, £6,761 13s. 4d. ; — out of which is this noticeable item, " Purchase of Steam-tug, £6,000." Under the head of Departmental Expenditure, we find tho small sum of £11,005 15s. — so that to collect and manage a revenue of £14,776 17s. lOd. per quarter we have to pay £11,005 15s. The most striking item in the expenditure under this head is in the Jetties and Wharves department : — Jetty dues collected, £92-1 10s. 7d. ; cost of collection, £752 Is. 3d. 1 : In the month of January, 1864, tho total revenue amounted to £5,559 lls. Bd. ; expenditure, £23,567 9b. 7(1. ; out of which, deduct the " Advance to Northern " Railway," £8,557 10s. Id. the balance for ordinary expenditure during the month is £15,009 19s. Cd., or £9,450 2s. lOd. in excess of the revemie. The most important items of this expenditure are __B oac l Sj £5,420 13s. 9d. ; Public AVorks, £1,963 Is. 4d. ; Departments, £5,610 17s. lOd. At last the climax of prosperity and good government seems to have been reached — the expense of governing exceeding the total revenue by £51 6s. 2a., Jetties and Wharves shewing even better than usual — Jetty dues, £236 7s. lOd. ; cost of collection, £291 Bs. Sd. This promises to be a paving source of revenue. The last published accounts are for the months of February and March. Revenue, £30,360 3s. 4d. ; expenditure, £63,055 14s. 9d. Out of the thirty thousand odd of revenue appears, " Refund Orcti Railway," £13,435 os. Id., being the sums appearing hi the accounts of quarter ending 31st December, 1563, and month of January, 1864, advanced to that railway, so that, as regerds the Northern Railway, there cannot be any pretence of its being indebted to the general revenue. Tho principal items of expenditure are — Roads, £12,744 155. ; Public Works, £953 Bs. 7d. ; Departmental Expenses, £8,059 19s. 6d. ; "Advance to Bluff Harbor and InvercargiE Railway," £36,621 lls. Id. o