✨ Provincial Government Address
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OTAGO
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.
( PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY )
Vol. XIX. Wednesday : May 5, 1875. No. 960.
ADDRESS OF HIS HONOR THE SUPERINTENDENT,
On Opening the Thirty-fourth Session of the Provincial Council of the Province of Otago, May 3rd, 1875.
MR. SPEAKER AND GENTLEMEN OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL,—
Since I last addressed you, the Provincial Legislature of Otago has attained its majority, it being now 21 years since it was called into existence. It then met in a small building which stood upon the spot on which the Cargill Monument now stands. I had the honor, Mr. Speaker, on that occasion to occupy the position which you at present hold. It is worthy of remark that of those who then composed the Provincial Council, only two have a seat in it now.
Gentlemen, were this a fitting occasion, it would be both interesting and instructive to trace the progress of this legislature from infancy to manhood, to philosophise upon and contrast the various stages of its growth. As it is, I may safely say that there is no British Colony which, in proportion to its population, has progressed as this Province has done. Although opinions may differ as to what extent our past progress may have been due to the action of the Provincial Legislature, I apprehend that there is little difficulty in predicating how much further advanced the Province would have been, had it been an independent Colony, or indeed, had it been allowed to exercise that control over its own affairs and resources which, in common with all the Provinces, the Constitution Act contemplated. I am convinced that if the people of Otago would study their own interests, either the one or the other of these alternatives is that which should be persistently aimed at even now. In 1854, the Public Revenue of the Province amounted to little more than £6,000, while during the past year the sum contributed to the Colonial and Provincial Chests, amounted to close upon one million sterling. It is a remarkable fact that there are only four Colonies in the British Empire, the amount of whose revenue, trade, and commerce exceeds that of this Province, and yet there are some among us who think that the Province is unfit to manage its own affairs.
Gentlemen, I would now desire to allude to some of the leading facts which serve to illustrate the position of affairs during the past financial year. The Consolidated Revenue of the year has
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Otago Provincial Gazette 1875, No 960
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🏘️ Address of the Superintendent on opening the thirty-fourth session of the Provincial Council
🏘️ Provincial & Local GovernmentOtago, Provincial Council, Superintendent, Provincial Government, Address