THE REVENUE OF THE PROVINCES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 115, 21 April 1870, Page 6

THE REVENUE OF THE PROVINCES.

The "Auckland Weekly News" comments on the revenue of the various provinces of the Colony in the the following article, from which the attempt to make Auckland appear the leading province of New Zealand, stands out in bold relief. The writer of the article studiously avoids any reference to the expenditure of the province in question. It is very strange that a province recently in a state of bankruptcy should have retrieved its prestige as by magic. Let the Maori war be brought to a termination, and Auckland's revenue will show a very sudden falling off: — The latest issue of the " New Zealand Gazette," to hand by the ' Ahuriri,' contains a " statement of the re- " ceipts and expenditure of the public "accounts of New Zealand, for the " quarter ended 31st December, 1869." In a recent paper we had occasion to notice the return of Customs revenue alone: we are now in a position to consider the total revenue of the colony, under its several heads. We find, by reference to the return before us, that the total consolidated revenue, for the quarter under review, was £265,418. Of this total, the provinces contributed in the following proportions, ommitting shillings and pence : — Auckland £70,344 Taranaki 2,362 Wellington 23,977 Hawke's Bay 8,045 Nelson 21,567 ilfarlborough 3,015 Canterbuiy 31,873 Westland (county) 24,442 Otago 69,879 Southland •„. 8,755 Thus, it will be seen that Auckland stood at the head of the colony in the last December quarter, in the matter of contribution to the consolidated revenue, none of the other provinces at all approaching it except Otago, which was nearly equal. The two provinces of Auckland and Otago contributed £140,223 for the quarter under review, whilst the remaining provinces only returned £125,195, in other words, the inhabitants of Auckland and Otago paid £15,028 more than the sum paid by the remaining divisions of the colony. This fact

alone testifies to the immense importance of the two great provinces of the North aud Middle Islands, and ought to induce their members to endeavour to obtain for them corresponding influence in the ndkt General Assembly. Analysing the return of revenue a little more closely, we find that the province of Auckland paid into the colonial chest almost three times the revenue of Wellington ; and considerably more than double the revenue of Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Taranaki. Auckland likewise paid into the Treasury 4,389 in excess of the joint revenues of Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, and, Southland. Of course, the comparison we have just instituted stands eubstanstantially good for Otago. These are facts, we repeat, which should not be forgotten by our representatives in the General Assembly. The table of receipts likewise shows that under the heads of Customs and stamp duty, Auckland stood higher than Otago; whilst the postal and telegraph departments of Otago were considerably more profitable than those of Auckland. This was to be expected in the item of telegraphs. The misfortune is, that telegraphic connection is not complete to Auckland. Were it so, we have no reason to suppose it would not be as productive of revenue as the Otago line. Indeed, when the branch telegraph to Shortland shall have been completed, there will be a considerable increase in the receipts in this province. The transactions in shares, no doubt, helped to Bwell the stamp return for the December quarter, although business was not nearly so brisk as during the earlier periods of the year. The stamp duty collected at Auckland during the last December quarter was £5,549; in Otago, "£4,616 j and the postal revenue of the Auckland province, during the same period, was £2,508, against £3,172 in Otago. The judicial fees and fines, in round numbers, foot up £7,230, of which £5,813 was derived from the Resident Magistrates' Courts. The Resident Magistrates' Courts of Auckland returned, £1,026; Wellington,, £500; Nelson, £857; Canterbury, £834; Westland, £1,024; and Otago> £1,229. The registry of deeds department of Auckland stood at the head of the colony. Thus: —Auckland, £1,093 ; Wellington, £336; Nelson, £139;. Canterbury, £834; Otago, £933; Southland, £209. The general receipts were temporarily increased by the issue of £45,000 treasury bills; and about £4,500 was - received from miscellaneous sources, which brings out the total of £344,904 in the return. J| But the most marked feature in tUese statistics is perceived when we turn to the details of territorial revenue. We then find that, although the commerce of Auckland may be prosperous, the community labours under great disadvantage from the want of land available for settlement, and the consequent^ absence of a land fund, for local works. Thus, although many of the provinces contribute little to the consolidated revenue, they derive very great benefit from the sale of the public estate. It is true, this may be said to be living on capital; and that in the end this source of income must dry up. That is quite correct; but, in the meantime,, the provinces possessing a land fund reap the advantage. We perceive that the land sales of Auckland for the December quarter amounted to £163 13s. The sales in the other provinces were—Wellington, £1,856; Canterbury, £8,426 ss; Westland, £700; Otago, £16,261 5s 8d ; and Southland £3,597 6s Bd. The provinces of Nelson, Marlborough, and Hawke's Bay are very much in the same position as Auckland, but from a different cause. In each of them, the land has been already sold; with us, we have not got the land to sell. It will be evident, however, that provinces possessing a land revenue have a very great advantage over those province* which are not so fortunate. Otago received the immense revenue of £58,308 from depasturing licenses and assessments. The goldfields revenue (which is likewise local revenue, and belongs exclusively to the provinces) footed up a very considerable amount during the December quarter. Thus :—: — Auckland—Goldfields revenue - £3,023 18 6 Gold duty - - - 5,069 13 1 Nelson—Goldfields revenue - - 2,237 1 9 Gold duty - - - 5,269 13 11 Otago—Goldfields revenue - - 1,457 911 Gold duty- - - 5,103 5 9 The total provincial revenue for the quarter, under the head of "Land fund," was £116,247 19s 2d. Of this total, Auckland received £8,957 7s Bd. The fees and duties of the Native Lands Court in Auckland amounted to £696 3s Id.