THE Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1881.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 8 July 1881, Page 2

THE Inangahua Times, PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1881.

The Financial Statement was delivered in the House by Major Atkinson on Wednesday evening last, and was very exhaustive. The Colonial Tres surer commenced by saying that he had a more pie* sing atid satisfactory task than that i which fell to his lot when he last had the honor of addressing the House. After rjeferiing,to,thepof''«jojjf "^jiMjftggJP* ttia time the Spt eieiit Gb'veTnSefrr^assunaed (ffice, and theneeijio the speculations of the last biidg%^ne f^oce^ds^to s#T "that* last year he estimated the eosfc of the services for the year at £3,423,709, and the amounjt which would come for pay,ment in theqrdinary course of business within the year at £'3,248 709. On the .passing of the Estimates these sums were modified to £3,348,889, and £3,123,889 respectively. The actual expenditure was £3,168,183, or £44,294 more than he thought would come in course of payment during the year. The Departmental services of last year inclusive of lands and surveys w?s £1,929.807, and the actual expenditure was £1 754,041, or £175.766 less than was voted. The esti« mated revenue for the year 1880-1; exclusive of land sales, was £3 238.000. while the actual receipts were £3,123,961 being £114,039 1e5s than estimated. Receipts from railways fell £111,377 below tbe amount estimated, but through econ* omic management they had yieldpd about three and S half per cent, upon £9,228,000 | spent in their construction. The Pro« j perty Tax yielded £80,283 less than he expected, but £42,000 had vet to come in. Telegraphs yielded £125 62 less than was estimated, but Customs and Stamps pro* duced more than was estimated, by £68,520. The estimated expenditure chargeable against the Land Fund was £158,706, exclusive of £51 648 represent* ing one half of the proposed subsidies to local bodies. Honorable members would remember that.when it was found impossible for want of time to consider the local pnblid works scheme of the Government, it was determined to continue the subsidies at a reduced rate, It was thought at the time that the Land Fund would not bear the whole of these subsidies, but he was glad to say that it has Estimate of receipts from land sales had be* n exceeded by £99,166, or a balance of £32,373 over expenditure. The gross public debt of the Colony on the 31st March of the current year amounted to £29.165,511, deduct accrued sinking fund thenett public debt was £27,108,270 During the year £560.100 of treasury bills had been disposed of, and advances amounting to £300,000 have been ob tamed upon security of debenture*, and , both these sums would have to be added to the amount of the Colonial debt as for the year 1880 -t. The public debt has been further increased during the year by the conversion of four and a half million 5 per cent, debentures into £5.371.200 4 per cents. This operation increased the public debt by £895.200, but effects ,an ar.nnal saving of £8952 in interest. The '.'Public Works Fund at the beginning of the year showed an available sum of £3.821.347 ; the expenditure amounted to £1 960,074, thus leaving an unexpended balance of £1,860,373 at the close of the year. The liabilities outstanding on the 31st March la«t, including one mil' lion Cor land purchase, amounted to one million and a?ha!f. Setting the amount of these liabilities against the unexpended balance, there remains to be appropri* ated for new services the small sum of £274 861. But this" Jesuit inc-udes the setting aside of pie million on account of land purchase, but should the policy of the Government in this respect be carried out tbe sum which it will be necessary to reserve out of the exi-Hng balnnce will not exceed £200,000. the available balance for future appropriation will then be £1,072,585. With respect to the question of local finance, he said .— "I now come to tbe consideration of that 6\B* cult problem ' local finance,' a problem difficult of solution cfrieffy because of the restless, poshing energy which still demands more local works to open up the country, and this notwithstanding the fact (hat we have already borrowed so largely for these purposes that we are compelled iv our general taxation to entrench t ome : / what upon the funds which we should '•- like to see set free to, supply local wawfs, while at the same time it seems to be "en \ tirely forgotten that the localities them* selvee have, largely benefitted by the , Public Works scheme, and that by the bridges at the charge. of the Colony they have been permanently relieved of much expenditure. It is indeed qiiile certain tliat if we are to people the waste hinds and rniike the country prrgress as vre have determined it shall progress, we

mast find the means not only to keep in proper repair otir roads and bridges already constructed, but also to extend our road system throughout the Colony step Hy step with advancing settlement. I purpose to-night to speak only in relation to ihe financial aspect of the question, without respect, to the organisation or powers of the local bodies. Of these I shall speak at large at nn early date. I now take it for granted that the local bodies will be charged with the duty of making and maintaining the; roads with* ;in their jurisdiction, and that upon these : works the bulk of their expenditure will be made. The local bodies have other duties to perform, but if that part of the problem relating tj roada and bridges can be satisfactorily solved, the rest will foN low without much difficulty. This, then ig the great question for solution : How are fund 3to be provided for the construction and maintenance of our roads and bridges? and the question naturally di* vdes itself into two branches ; first, maintenance, and second construction. ;But before proceeding further let me say what in my opinion are the requisites of :a scund local finance. These are, that | local finance should be as from and ; independent of our general finance as posslbleiand-tiiffCrtW^unds should le \ sufficient for rhe rni#htcnance of roads ! and bridges already constructed, With very little consideration it will be cvi» dent I think to everyone tlmt our roads and bridges must be maintained for the future, with pealmps one or two exeep* tions, by local rates ; the landed property each distr'ct must as a rule maintain the roads and bridges of the district, so it is evident that all lands must pay rates. The Government therefore purpose that Crown and Niitive binds shall be rated with certain exceptions, with wbieh I need not now trobule the Committee. This proposal is the same as that which I had the honor to submit last year, with one or two important alterations. The proposal is shortly this: That with* in boroughs the property of the Crown with certain exeeprions, and of Maoris, shall for the future he rated under the Hating Act, and county lands, both town and Native, shall be divided into classes agricultural and pis' oral, and shall be rated at £1 an acre for agricultural laud and 6s 81 an acre for pastoral land, which amount for rating purposes will be taken as tho value of , the fee simple. Hon. .members will observe that while last yearit was proposed to estimate Native lands at one half the value of Crown lands, it is now p-oposed to vnlue them alike, and I cannot but believe that upon considering all the circumstances of the case the Committee will think this r air and reasonable. If Hie Crown and Na» five lands are to payees the question orises: Who is to be responsible ; for their payment to the local bodies, and ont of what funds are 'bey to be paid? We propose in every casei that the Colon;al Treasurer shall be primarily liable, nnd shall pay the rates to the local bodies. The rates on Crown property with' in boroughs we propose to charge against the consolidated fund; the rales' on ; county Crown lands against the land fund, and the rates on country Native lands we propose to advance out of money appropriated by Parliament fvr the purpose, but to remain a charge against the Native land, for which the rates are paid, and to be recorered without interest as a duty under the Stamp Act from tbe purchaser or lessee of the land. . , , There are 'tto other important matters to which I must refer. -, The limitation of self*rat'ng to one shilling in the pound, and the cost ofyenr'y valu.ia'ion. It i 3 well known that in sorre parts of the Colony a shilling rate is insufficient to maintain the roan's. The Government are unable to see upon what grounds of either reason or justice the local bodies can be called upon to maintain the roads while at the same time they are denied the power of rnip. ing enough money for that purpose. We shall therefore propose to increase the rat : .ng power to two shillings in. the pound, a power already possessed by several of the local bodies. Believing that the limit will be approved by the country and be found ample, for the duty imposed. With regard to the valuations experience has shown that they are required by hw to be made much oftner than is necessary, it was therefore proposed to relieve the local bodies entirely ;of the charge, and so save them from an unprrfi able, expenditure of probably not less than £16 000 a«year. We shall ask the House to permit all local bodies to use for rating purposes the valuation under the Property Assessment Act, with annual correction. 1 have had a table prepared showing the valuatiot s under the Act, as compared with the valuations under the Acf, as compared with the valuations made by the local bodies, and when hon: members compare the two valuations, the totals of which are remarkably near, the proposition will, I think, commend itself to their The construction of roads and bridges, and this brings me to the second branch of my subject. The con s'ruction of roads and bridges. Now, there are three distinct classes of works which we have to deal wilh. Under tin's branch of our su* j j et, First, there Rre rhe main roads through Crown lands not yet settled. — Second, the main roods running through the settled or partially settled district, and third, district roads. bo;h in settled and unsettled districts

We will first consider the question of how monpy is to be provided for roads through Crown lands not yet settled. My colleague, the Minister of Lands has given tnnch attention to this sul ject during the recess, and he has by means of roads cleared and formed with efficient culverts to make them passable, opened c large quantify of land for settlement, and he will this year submit a scheme involina the expenditure for this purpose of L 150.000 out of loan, the expenditure to exteri'l over a period of three years, at the rate of LSO 000 a year. This work, wherever, praeticaMe, will be ('one ss hitherto, -by the" local bodies, but everts one acquainted with the country must know that these provisional roads we only the beginning of a necessary work and settlement of small blocks of land cannot be successful without good roads." The i roposals in regard to main roads are similar to those made in the budget of last year, except that a Board will be appointed to construct the works, such Board to consist of the Minister for Public Works and three members to be appointed by the House. The House to be askel to advance L 150.000 to the Board out efloan. and an-aqjiaUum out of the land fund, all lands benefited by such road to^be rated_so ttiat m (en years to relurn one fourth of the amount expended. It was not intended to aHer present taxation or increase it. Goxern* would not take over main road*. For rha rest the Statement contains nothing of special interest.