PROVINCIAL EXPENDITURE.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 463, 9 February 1869, Page 3

PROVINCIAL EXPENDITURE.

The following letter signed "M. L." appeared in the Nelson Colonist of the 2nd instant : Sib, —I have been on the look-out for some time for the publication of the last quarterly balance sheet of the Provincial Government. Fully a month has gone by now, and I am sure as an elector I feel anxious to see if our financial position is improving, especially as all the officers of the Provincial regiment are on pay, but the laborers (the liners) on public works are discharged, and no reproductive expenditure is taking place. It all goes for salaries. When Mr Curtis got int« office, we were to have a Railway, and a Dry Dock, {very dry novo) ; the Coalfields were to be developed. To what extent this has been realised, is now known to the electors at large ; to quote Shakespere, these promises are " like the baseless fabric of a vision, dissolved ' ; —I must end here, for there is a " wreck " left in the shape of an overdrawn account at the bank of £20,000 — twenty thousand pounds sterling, Sir! It is only fair to put it in this >vav, —that the bank is largely contributing to the maintenance of the present extravagant departmental expenses for the Provincial Government. If this overdraft were solely for the prosecution of public works, and the employment of labor—reproductive labor—it would be a legitimate and wise undertaking ; but no one can say that it is so. Had the bank refused to allow the overdraft, the superintendent would have been bound to call the Council together, and ascertain what was their opinion on the present state of things. As regards the Railway, perhaps this is quietly lying by as a " nest egg" for the next election ! I only fancy I see his Honor on the hustings like a very Charles Kean, telling the electors that " thoy shall have a railway," even if it is an India-rubber one, according to the road steamer arrangement. Then, the Dry Dock, how flattering it must be to the promoters of that dreadfully expensive scheme to see vessels like the John Penn and the Wanganui, and others, going across to the small but useful dock erected at a moderate sum at Port Chalmers, for purposes uf cleaning and repairs! We might have had a better dock at Nelson, at less cost, and so seen trade steady and improving, causing an enpenditure in the place of at the least £15,000 to £20,000 a year. As regards the Coalfields, let this fact tell its own story:—The Murray, on her last trip from the Grey, brought up a cargo of coal. On enquirers asking where that coal was from, as it was of inferior quality, " Oh," was the reply, " it is from the Canterbury mine!" The valuable Brunner mine, in this Province, which ought to be contributing a Royalty of at least £SO a week to the Government, is lying idle. The Mount Roehfort mine is silent and alone ! Surely we shall have Mr. StatFord saying with regard to the Nelson Government, as he has done regarding that of Wellington, that ''it exists for no useful purpose ;" but is actually absorbing the capital of a commercial bank, but when the money might be contributing to sound and healthy commerce.