PARLIAMENTARY.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 35, 2 September 1867, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

(fBOM Otfß SPECIAL COEEESPQNDENT.) - ' Tnursday, August 22. THE BUDGET. At half-pftst seven o’clock the Colonial Treasurer, commenced his Financial State-; fefent ahd ! did f not conclude it until one o’clock the following mpiajf g. The House and gal-,

leries were crowded, and the speech was listened to with the greatest interest. The announcement that the Provinces were to have in future one-half of the consolidated revenue, including Customs and Stamp Duties, instead of three-eights of the Customs only, was received with -satisfaction, The following table shows the estimated revenue and expenditure of the past aud present year respectively 1867-8 1866-7., £ £ Estimated Revenue 1,083,000 1,028.005 do Appropriations 734,176 738,308 do Payfhfent'to Provinces....- 349,824 318,750 The Colonial Treasurer took credit to the Government for the liberal manner in which they are acting to the Provinces. The Provinces are to receive one-half of the Colonial revenue monthly, in addition to the territorial and other Provincial revenues. The Government have forgiven the Provirlces £183,000, debt due on the revenue account. The Government intend to consolidate all the Provincial debts and give each indebted Province the full benefit of the endorsement of their debentures by the General Government which will reduce the permanent annual charge for interest to fully one-fifth of the amount payable under the present system, because New Zealand Debentures will realise fully 20 per cent in the London marketmor ethan the Provincial Debentures will do. The Colonial Treasurer was consequently fully justified in taunting the Opposition with their conduct in getting up the cry they did in accusing the Government for attempting to destroy the Provincial Governments. He said he would tell the Committee a little secret, which it might be very foolish for him to do, it was this, that the proposed changes would for ever destroy any chance of effecting a separation of the colony. He alsoreminded Southern members that the territorial revenue rightly belonged to the whole colony, and not to any porticular Province, and that the amount of territorial revenue received by the Middle Island was three millions in excess of what was received by the North Island—a sum equal to the Colonial debt, but the Government did not intend to disturb the Provinces in their possession ol that source of revenue. The Colonial Treasurer concluded his statement by moving that a sum not exceeding £SOOO be granted for the reception of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, which, after some discussion, was unanimously agreed to.

Friday, August 23. The “DunedinPrincess-street Reserve Bill” in passing through Committee was keenly contested, and an attempt made to revolutionise the whole character of the House of Representatives from being a Legislative House, that it should be also converted into a judicial and administrative body. The Government deserves well of the country for the stubborn front that 1 they showed to the whole of the Otago members on this question, because there can be no true liberty preserved in any country where the legislative bodies of the state also usurp to themselves either judicial or administrative functions such as the Otago members wanted to do on this occasion. The question in debate was a Maori Reserve that the Maories refused to sell when they sold the other land on which the city of Dunedin now stands. That reserve is now worth £20,000 per acre, the City authorities wish to keep it, and give an equal quantity of land in a retired place, with a house to be built on it at an expense of £SOO to the maories in exchange for the reserve, and the Otago members wanted to get an Act of the Legislature to force this so-called compromise on the Maories so as to shut them out from the protection that the Supreme Court ought to afford any one having a claim of this kind to be settled. The Government strenuously opposed the tyrannical attempt of the Otago members to usurp the judicial functions of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. lam astonished that such an important discussion and division has escaped the vigilance of the leading metropolitan journal, for all that is stated in this (Saturday’s) morning’ paper is that “ this Bill was passed through Committee and reported with amendments.”