, 1888-06-13

dldlC QAO " NAO OOhS1s NV
revenue of 1887 would be fully equal to
cover its expenditure; so, Sir Henry was
leaving the colony free of debt, for which
praise God, or rather praise Sir Henry,
who was far too Self.assertive an admins
traitor to give such credit to any other
than himself. The memorandum submit
ted by the Governor on Tuesday places
the financial question in a less roSeate
light. The total amount at the credit of
the colony III 1884 is Shewn to have been
1926, 275 and in 1885 this became atten-
uated down to the small sum of 500, 1919.
In 1886 the debit balance was 1920. 900
and in 1887 it had risen to $500, $50, which
sum the Financial Representatives have
now to find means to pay off. There is d
point in the Governors figures which as far
as we can see, requires explanation more
than his memorandum provides. He says
that the credit in 1884 stood at 1926, 275,
and at $26, 1919 in the following year but
the revenue of 1885 fell short of the tx
penditure by only 3l39, 1921. How came
it then that the credit balance at the end
of 1885 was not $S5,454 instead of the
amount mentioned above7 The discre-
pancy will perhaps receive the attention
of some one in tue Court who will ask the
Governor for an explanation. Turning to
the prospects of revenue, Lord German
stOn is not very Sanguine that that Of the
current year will be equal to the revenue
of 1887, which, with the exception of 1888,
was the largest ever received. The esti.
mates for the current year reach, in round
figures $4,000, 600, and to quote from the
Speech, "the circumstances of the colony
s'require such an adjustment of taxation
"as may be confidently relied on to pro-
''duce a revenue in average years OF
''S2, 400, 00O.' To raise taxes to cover this
amount, and to pay off a portion of the
$500, 900 of old debt is a task such AS no
Combined Court in the colony has ever
had to undertake. 1t as the Governor
thinks possible, contributions can he OBJ
tanned "from that large area of land
(which at present contributes nothing to
'the public burden" the sooner the tax.
payer is despatched in the direction indica-
ted, the better. One thing is certain, the
debt must be paid, and it is some salts
faction to feel that, although the colony
at the present moment, is not Il scene of
commercial and agricultural activity, the
elements ct success in each of these de.
partments are not wanting, and the out
look has seldom been more hopeful. The
resources of the colony are not bOundleSS,
but they can, if properly handled, furnish
revenue enough for the administrator of
the government, without pressing unduly
upon any one individual and we look to
the Financial Representatives to proceed
with their tariff framing in a spirit at once
discreet and courageous. The other
points in the Governors Speech all dis.
close the views of a man welded to The
policy of development. He desires the
opening up of the gold districts the set
Element of the boundary question the
allotment and cultivation or utilization
of Grown Lands and the clearing,up
Of disputed land titles. He declares in
favour Of denominational education, but
IL determined that we shall not pay ga
fancy price for it, He makes special men
ton of the urgent need of comprehensive
quarantine laws, applicable to all the
West Indian colonies, and urges on the
members the necessity OF erecting with
ont delay a quarantine station for this
colony. To this request the members
cannot turn a deaf ear, without the risk
of some serious crisis occurring when it is
least expected and which may be atten-
died. with expense, perhaps enough to have
built a station. Echoing the expressions
wb have heard on every side, a more salts
factory Speech has seldom been delivered
in the Financial College.