FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE PROVINCE OF OTAGO. FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 1870.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 118, 12 May 1870, Page 5

FINANCIAL REPORT OF THE PROVINCE OF OTAGO. FOR THE YEAR ENDING MARCH 31, 1870.

The Provincial Government "Gazette" of the 4th inSt., contains the yearly Balance Sheet showing the revenue and expenditure of the Province, which are set down as follows :—: —

The remainder in Dunedin. The revenue from the sale of Crown Lands during the previous year was £108,907, while this year it has only been £35,013 4s Id. Last year the amount expended upon public works, roads, bridges, &c, was £114,300, while this year the amount expended on the same description of works has been £88,605 9s Bd. We are glad to see such a considerable sum expended on these works of a permanent character, even although there .has. been so great a falling off in the sale of Crown Lands. Had the various Hun-

dreds, recommended by the Council, been declared open for settlement, we have no doubt the amount under that heading would have been greatly increased, thus allowing for a more liberal expenditure in public works. We notice an increase of £5000 under sheep and cattle assessment, .and under the headings of Goldfields Revenue and Gold Export Duty, we have an aggregate increase of £18,000. The tolls on roads show an additional £1400, while telegraph messages present a falling off to the extent of £170. The expenditure in various departments shows a decrease, although only trifling to what we should like to see. In one item, viz., police, we are glad to observe a reduction of nearly £3000, and there is ample room for a still further reduction. That Otago should be taxed to the tune of £17,000 a year for a police establishment is something monstrous. Under j the heading of Education there is a slight increase, the total amount being £15,091. The harbour expenses are £4,781 against £4,615 last year. The gaol presents a curtailment of £800, the amount being £4,826, against £7,636. Provincial Treasury, £1261 against £1250 ; Sheep Inspectors, £2,768 against £3,462. The Hospital shows a retrenchment of £700, the expenditure being £5676 against £6373, while the collection of jetty dues has increased £130. As might be expected, the receipts from the tolls in the province show a considerable increase, the amount for the year being £11,991 against £10,548 for the previous j'ear. ■ The expense attending the collection of that amount is set down at £1285 6s. The survey department, as might be expected, is an enormous item ; still in it there is a reduction of £700. We should like to see that item curtailed by a few thousand pounds, which, we imagine, might be done by carrying out the contract system to a greater extent. £6262 is the amount set down for contract surveys, while the Crown Land and Survey Department costs the country £11,500. The goldfields constitute one of the most profitable sources of revenue to the province, and in exchange receive the least equivalent for that revenue. The sum of £6525 has been expended in Wardens and Receivers salaries and general expenses in the working of the goldfields ; and the receipts for Gold Duty and Goldfields Revenue present the handsome sum of £39,500. Unless there is a much larger amount expended on useful works on the goldfields the miners should not rest satisfied until that crying injustice, a Gold Duty is swept away. In comparing the amount appropriated to various roads and public works, and the sums expended, it is difficult to guess upon what principle the Provincial Treasurer calculates the yearly estimates. The sum of L 90,000 was appropriated for Roads, and only £53,000 expended ; the sum of £22,000 was appropriated for Works and Public Buildings, and only £15,000 expended ; £31,000 was appropriated for Bridges, and £14,000 expended ; £25,000 was appropriated for ! Jetties and Harbours, and only about j £600 exjiended. We have now reviewed the chief items of the Balance Sheet for the year ending March 31st, 1870 ; and although we find much deserving of credit, still there is a deal of room for improvement. No doubt the Government have been much hampered in having so very little of the Provincial Estate to dispose of, but that only impresses us and them with what are the real sources of revenue of a country.

Cr. £ s. Receipts for the year - 289,677 19 Debentures converted and redeemed ... 7,400 0 "Transfer from suspense account, 1868 - - - 208 13 Deficit - -.-. 43,343 5 d. 6 0 6 8 £340,636 18 8 Dr. Expenditure - Deficit previous year - 315,867 11 - 24,762 7 0 8 £340,636 18 8 The revenue was obtained as follows : — Sale of Crown Lands' -£36,013 4 1 Sheep and Cattle Assessment - 58,090 7 2 Goldfields Revenue- - 19,460 3 11 Consolidated Revenue - 89,078 14 10 Gold Export Duty - - 20,132 10 9 Licenses - - - 12,861 5 0 Tolls .... 11,991 0 0 Harbour and Jetty Dues- 7,389 2 6 Sinking Fund Released - 23,986 1 9 Repayments from Immigration, Hospital, Lunatic Asylum, Industrial School, - - - 3,782 510