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Southland Times, Issue 1114, 16 August 1869, Page 2

The Provincial Council will meet to-mor-row, at 2 o'clock The business to be transacted will be important. We are not aware whether any communications have taken place between the Provincial and General Governments on our present financial condition, but there can be no doubt that some decisive course of action must be adopted in order to place the province in a position to meet ilo liabilities. There is scarcely enough local revenue at present raised to pay the salaries of officials, and there is none available for the prosecution of public works. No doubt the presence of His Honor the Superintendent in the Council will in some measure tend to dissipate the mystery \rhich has hitherto hung over some of the transactions of the Executive on questions of public interest. On the present occasion, his presence is especially desirable, because he will be enabled to stata what has transpired between himself and the Superintendent of Otago, on the question of annexation, and although we do not think theCouncil will affirm the desirability of re-union, yet it will be interesting to ascertain the nature of the proposal, if onj, which has been submitted by the Otago Government, a3 the basis of union. The tendency of provincial legislation at the present moment is in favor of direct taxation. The native »val-»£>n!rtrj aK</irlia an larnwl a r»/M»f-i/\Tt t*f fchfj" general revenue as to forbid the hope of obtaining assistance from the Colonial Government, except under peculiar circumstances. The sooner, therefore this question is brought under the consideration oi the House the better. The question of leasing both lines of railway should receive the attention of the Council, and the formation of a line to the Mataura, to be paid for in land, is a subject worthy of earnest consideration. We understand that the New Zealand and Australian Land Company will be prepared shortly to enter largely into meat preserving and that a most extensive plant is already on the way out from home. But it will depend to a great extent upon the facilities offered, in the shape of communication with the seaport, for the purpose of exportation, whether this Province or Otago will be fixed on as the scene of operations. Whatever subjects are brought forward should be discussed in a calm and dispassionate manner, free from party violence or personal feeling.