8.—2.

8

bered that these railways do not include the railways constructed by the Colonial Government, and worked by the Provinces of Otago and Canterbury under a temporary arrangement. Amongst the items of expenditure is one of £15,000 on account of State Forests. By some oversight, £5,000 which ought to have been set apart for the year ending the 30th June, 1875, was not reserved; and I have caused it to benow added to the£lo,ooo for the current year. lam of opinion that we should be very unwise if we allowed any consideration to cause us to fail in reserving the money which has been appropriated for this purpose. Experience of almost a world-wide character has shown the immense importance of attending to the forests of a country; and I am convinced that, before many years have passed, questions which now seem to us of great moment will have sunk into insignificance compared with the interest which will be felt in the progress and maintenance of the forests of the colony. The expenditure includes £140,700 Advances to Provinces during the year under various Acts. The total expenditure out of Consolidated Revenue for which it is estimated the provinces were, at the end of the year, liable, is about £200,000, which sum includes the balance of expenditure under "The Provincial Public Works Advances Act, 1874," and " The Provincial Appropriations Extension Act, 1875," which the Government have undertaken. On the other hand, under the powers given by the two Acts I have named, the Government have negotiated £172,000 of Treasury Bills, so that the provinces are indebted to the colony in the amount of those bills and whatever balances remained unrecovered at the end of the year. It is believed that the expenditure will cover all the liabilities of the year; but it is impossible to state so soon after the close of the year what amount under each head had actually been disbursed up to the 30th June, and what will now have to be paid as liabilities. REVENUE, 1875-76. I place before the Committee tabulated statements (partly estimated) of the receipts from revenue during 1875-76, together with the estimate for the year and the absolute receipts during 1874-75. The revenue from Railways during the current year is shown separately, in order not to disturb the comparison with the previous year's revenue: —

State Forests.

Advances to Prcmneeß.

EeTenue, 1875-76,

DlFFF.I FENCES. Heads of Receipt. Revenue to 27TH May, with Estimate ADDED for June Munth. Revenue as Estimated. In Excess of Estimate. Less than Estimate. Customs —Duties, Rents, Seizures, &c. Bonded Stores Fees Stamp Duties Postal Telegraphic Judicial Fees and Fines Registration of Land „ Deeds „ Births, Deaths, and Marriages ... Fees on Issue of Crown Grants „ Miscellaneous Incidental Receipts £ s d. 1,225,747 16 10 5,250 10 8 16,417 o 1 112,388 15 11 93,162 14 3 63,038 6 7 37.993 2 11 12,184 4 3 15.453 3 4 5.231 7 4 4,410 1 2 2.397 1 1 52,056 8 2 £ s- d. 1,325,000 o o 5,000 o o 16,750 o o 125,000 o o 91,000 o o 62,000 o o 32,000 o o 13,500 o o 16,750 o o 5,000 o o 6,000 o o 2,700 o o 65,000 o o £ s. d. £ «• d99.25 2 3 2 250 10 8 332 19 11 12,611 4 1 2,162 14 3 1,038 6 '7 5.993 2 11 «i3«j «| 9 1,296 16 8 231 7 4 1,589 18 10 302 18 11 12,943 11 10 Deduct Increase I.64S.73O 12 7 1,765,700 o o 9,676 1 9 129,645 9 2 9,676 1 9 Net amount less than Estimate 119,969 7 £ Railways ... 57.459 » 4 120,000 O O