48
NELSON GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.

nominated immigration was 292, equal to 280 statute
adults. Of these only about 20 have as yet reached
the Province.

17. In my address to you last year I was able to
    point to a slight increase in the revenue which had
    taken place in the preceding financial year, and I
    expressed a hope that the improvement would be
    both permanent and progressive. That hope has not
    been realised, as the revenue for the year just ended
    shows on the contrary a slight decline, which may
    however be attributed to the difficulty the Govern-
    ment has experienced in obtaining the execution of
    surveys, and the consequent delay in bringing saleable
    land in the Buller and Grey districts into the
    market, the proceeds of which will, I think, justify
    the Treasurer in calculating upon a material increase
    in the receipts of revenue during the year now
    commencing.

The amount of public works executed out of
Provincial funds has therefore been considerably less
than was contemplated; reaching, indeed, only
£18,500 against £21,000 in the preceding year. At
the same time a large expenditure has been incurred
for surveys, which, as I have mentioned, will shortly
be reproductive, and the overdraft at the Bank of
New Zealand has been substantially reduced.

18. As I have in several parts of my address made
    reference to the different sums appropriated to the
    use of this Province during the late session of
    Parliament I think it well to place them before you
    in the aggregate, to enable you to see at a glance
    what addition to the ordinary resources of the Pro-
    vince has been derived from Colonial funds.

In addition to the customary capitation allowance
of fifteen shillings per head of the population, the
following appropriations were made:—

For roads from the Devil's Grip to West-
port and Greymouth ... £50,000
For public works, at discretion of Minister
for Public Works ... 8,000
For immigration buildings and expenses in
connection therewith ... 3,000
For settlement of immigrants ... 8,000
Special grant in aid of capitation allowance 5,000

Total ... ... £74,000

19. It may perhaps be expected of me that I should
    make some reference to the contemplated abolition
    of the Provincial form of local government.

It is almost unnecessary that I should remind you
that I have always advocated the gradual diminution
of the powers of Provincial Governments and
Councils with a view to their ultimate extinction when
the progress of the settlement of the country, and
the increase in the facilities of communication
throughout the Colony, should deprive them of much
of their usefulness. I could not, however, support
the resolution proposed by the Premier last session
in the House of Representatives, firstly, because I
considered that so important a change should not be
decided upon without reference to the people.
Secondly because I could not agree to the partial
abolition of Provincial institutions and the introduc-
tion of one more complication in our already
sufficiently complex political system by the establish-
ment of conflicting forms of Government on the
two islands, and thirdly because the resolution
pledged those who supported it to maintain intact
what is known as the Land compact of 1856, the
effect of which would be eminently disastrous to the
people of this Province who would be required
not only to pay the interest and principal
of the loans which they have themselves raised, and
by which they have themselves benefitted, but also to
contribute largely to the payment of the interest and
principal of the debts contracted by the wealthy
Provinces of Canterbury and Otago; of which those
Provinces only have derived the advantage.

If the proposals, which it is understood that the
Colonial Government are now preparing, should be
free from the objections I have specified, and should
also make fair provision for local government in
place of the institutions to be destroyed, I shall not
be found in the ranks of their opponents upon this
question.

20. It is not the intention of the Government to
    ask you to legislate during the present Session
    upon any matters of leading importance.

The only Bills it is at present decided to submit to
you, are a Bill to give certain additional powers to
Road Boards, a Bill to give power to the Superinten-
dent to levy tolls on roads and bridges, and a Bill to
authorise the sale of the land purchased some years
ago as a site for a Central Lunatic Asylum.

21. The usual Annual Report of the Wardens of
    the Goldfields, and of the Provincial Engineer, and of
    other Heads of Departments will shortly be laid
    upon your table, and will put you in possession of
    the details necessary for your information.

I now declare this Council open for the dispatch of
business.

OSWALD CURTIS,
Superintendent.

Printed under the authority of the Provincial Government, by LUCKIE and COLLINS, Waimea-street, Nelson,
Printers for the time being to the said Government.