B.—No. 2.

will take another opportunity of commenting on the details of the Estimates. I will on this occasion ask you only to consider the broad divisions of the expenditure. The total estimated expenditure set down in the ordinary Estimates is £903,523 os. 5d., of which £489,327 os. 3d. belongs to General Charges, and £414,196 os. 2d. to Provincial Charges. I will read the totals opposite to each class, including the Permanent Charges.

Estimated Ordinary 5d year '

The amount of the Provincial Charges will be defrayed out of the contributions payable to the Provinces. The Colonial portion includes the payment of Sinking l^und, the Departmental Defence and Native Expenditure, but does not include the Colonial Eorce Expenditure nor that for Telegraph Extension. I now proceed to consider the "Ways and Means for the ensuing year. WAYS AND MEAN'S FOE THE ENSUING YEAR We shall commence the year, it will be remembered, with a nominal deficiency of £35,591 9s. 3d.; but, on the other side, we have the following sums: —Two amounts owing by Southland, £15,285 13s. 3d. and £8,130 6s. 5d.; and the amount paid on account of roads in the North Island, £25,000. Those sums may be at once regarded as recoverable. As to two other sums —£10,000 advanced to the Patea Settlers, and £15,000 to the Province of Wellington for the Wanganui Bridge —it is a matter for consideration, whether we shall put ourselves in the position of borrowing an equal amount, or shall allow the sums to continue as a debt to the revenue. There is another amount due to the Colony, respecting which the House will have to give some direction. Three years ago, the Loan Allocation Act was repealed, except so far as the amounts then due by the Provinces respectively for accrued interest and sinking fund. It is not for me to discuss the policy of that arrangement. It is sufficient to say now, that on the last day of the year I am bound to debit to each of the Provinces concerned the amount of its debt. There has been no direction given as to what is to be done with the money. Supposing it to be regarded as a debt due by the Provinces to the Colony, it would follow that it would be money available for appropriation. I am not sure that the two Provinces principally concerned (Auckland and Taranaki) are in a position to spare the cash necessary for making the payment: but on this subject I may yet consult the Provincial authorities. Supposing that those Provinces are not—or that either of them is not -—conveniently able to make payment, I do not see that the House should object to allowing them to raise money for the purpose. The amounts due by the other two Provinces (Wellington and Hawke's Bay) are comparatively trifling. The greatest difficulty in the matter seems to be, what shall be done with the

Nominal deficiency, fSLtacfat hUi commencement of year- £72' m 16s'1<L

27

EINANCIAL STATEMENT.

187i 1-1. GrEJTEEAL. Peoyincial. Civil List Permanent Charges ... ... ... 3 Class 1, Public Domains and Buildings ... ,, 2, Public Departments „ 3, Law and Justice „ 4, Postal, &c, Services „ 5, Customs Departments ... „ 6, Native „ 7, Miscellaneous, Special, and Tem- £ s. a. 27,500 0 0 305,603 0 9 2,800 0 0 31,730 9 0 4,976 10 0 41,605 0 0 11,955 0 0 19,272 5 0 27,5C 305,6( 2,8C 31,7£ 4,97 41,6C 11,95 19,27 OO Of: 00 03 00 30 76 1 05 55 72 afr l 0 0 0 9 0 0 9 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 5 0 ID A 194.. 11 46. 84. 37. 9. £ s. d. 194,469 0 11,853 6 46,197 16 84,459 0 37,387 5 9,332 0 t,4( L,8f i,l£ ',35 >,3E » ftr 0 8 0 0 0 0 porary „ 8, Militia and Volunteers 38,867 18 0 5,016 17 6 38,80 5,01 67 1 16 1 18 0 17 6 6 23 ; 6,700 0 23,797 12 0 6 Totals ... .. £4 £489,327 189,32 27 0 0 3 3 414 : 414,196 i;it 0 2 GrEJTEBAL ClIAE&ES ... £489,327 :27 0 3 0 3 Pboyincial Chaeges 414,196 .96 0 2 0 2 Total £903,523 0 6