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more complete survey. These reserves will be absolutely necessary in order to prevent the increased cost of construction arising from compensation claims. The formation of lines of railway and other great works can only be provided for by anticipation of the public revenue; fears have, however, been expressed as to the ability of the provinces, under existing financial circumstances in England, to raise money on their own unguaranteed debentures. I think it desirable, therefore, that provision should be made for specially securing the interest and sinking fund upon loans to be raised for these works, either by setting apart special tracts of waste lands, or by specifically appropriating a fixed proportion of the revenue proceeding from ordinary sales of land.

Of the two courses the latter appears to be based on principles more in accordance with the system of land sales in force in this Province, and which has hitherto proved most advantageous. Should you concur with me in the expediency of appropriating a specific proportion of the land revenue, I have reason to believe that the funds necessary for the construction of these great works may be obtained on more advantageous terms than might otherwise be expected. A statement will be made to you showing the amount of unvoted expenditure which has been incurred during the present financial year, and the circumstances under which it arose. From this statement, as well as from other considerations, it would seem that a re-organisation of our whole system of administration of public works has become absolutely necessary. With this view I propose that the management of the public works of the Province should be placed under a responsible minister, bearing the title of "Secretary for Public Works," to whom the heads of the departments of public works, railways, and surveys should be subordinate. The professional heads of those departments will receive their instructions from him as their political head, while the other branches of the public service will be responsible as heretofore to the Provincial Secretary.

The great difficulty which the Government have felt in obtaining accurate information as to the varied requirements of the several districts of the province, and the results of the expenditure incurred, have shown the necessity of a certain degree of personal supervision and inquiry on the part of a political officer, who is responsible to you for the financial administration of his department. The establishment of Road Boards, to which the management of roads has been transferred since the last session, will by no means render this personal inspection less necessary. If my views on this subject meet with your concurrence, I shall be prepared, at the ordinary session, to submit to you measures for carrying out a complete system of administration of public works, and for a revision of the civil service of the province.

I propose to relieve the revenue of a portion of the additional charge consequent upon the creation of this office by reducing the salary of the Superintendent to £1000 per annum. For this purpose a Bill will be laid before you. A considerable expenditure has become necessary for the erection of several public buildings. It is probable that the next sitting of the General Assembly will take place in this Province, and in providing for its reception, I propose that any building which may be erected should be made subservient to the general design for enlarging our own accommodation, so that the expense incurred in this respect should not be materially in excess of what would be actually necessary for our own requirements.

The plans sent in for the erection of a Gaol, as well as those for the Supreme Court, are found to involve an amount of expenditure which I cannot at present recommend, looking to the great demand upon our resources for works essential to the material prosperity of the country. I shall at once proceed to obtain modified plans, the expense of carrying out which will be more proportionate to our existing circumstances. I have fully reconsidered the whole of the immigration arrangements of the province, and after careful enquiry into the relative advantages and cost of the two systems whose merits have been canvassed, viz., that carried on by Her Majesty’s Commissioners, and that by our own Agent, I have come to the conclusion that the advantages presented by the latter considerably preponderate. I have, therefore, re-engaged Mr. Marshman as Immigration Agent for a further period of one year, leaving it open to you ultimately to adopt whichever system may most commend itself to you.

In connection with the Public Works, Immigration, Railways, Survey, and other departments of Government, returns and papers will be laid before you. The statements explanatory of the financial position of the Province will give assurance that the prosperity of the country is still a matter for congratulation.

I may now express my full confidence that you will give to the various subjects to which I have drawn your attention, the careful consideration which their importance demands.

S. BEALEY,
Superintendent.

Provincial Secretary’s Office,
Christchurch, April 5, 1864.

His Honor the Superintendent directs the publication of the following Return for general information.

W. ROLLESTON,
Provincial Secretary.

ABSTRACT of the QUANTITY of LAND SOLD and GRANTED in the different DISTRICTS for the MONTH ending the 31st MARCH, 1864.

Total ........... 12,972 | 76 | 1 3 0 |