Sir F. Rogers
Governor Seymour here sends home his Estimates & Appropriation
Ordinance for
1867—the latter having passed as far back as
March
last. The
3 Dec is rather late to receive the Estimates for the
year, & tho' the union of the two Colonies at so late a period
of last year no doubt prevented an earlier passing of the Estimates,
it need not have been necessary that it should take
so many months
to send them home when passed—especially with the very meagre
information supplied.
It appears that the Estimated Revenue for 1867 is $675,350,
against $592,459 the revenue of 1865—it further appears that the
estimated Expenditure for 1867 is $701,710—against $1,096,036 for
the two Colonies in 1865.
The Auditor Generals memo shews in what respects the Estimate
of Expenditure differs from previous Expenditure.
I see nothing calling for special observation in the Items—& it is
now rather
late to deal with them.
But I believe the Finances of
B. Columbia are under consideration.
Mr Adderley
There can be no doubt—considering the state of the Finances of
B.C. that
this statement
shd have reached England long ago. Now, I think,
that having been delayed
from March to September, the
Govr ought to
have accompanied [it] by a Statement informing the Secretary of State
how far the estimate has been borne out by the experience of the
2 or 3 first quarters of the year.
The main point is the comparison of Totals
|
Revenue |
$ |
Exp |
1865 |
592,459 |
1,096,036 |
|
1867 |
675,350 |
701,710 |
|
excess |
82,891 |
394,326 |
decrease |
|
|
|
82,891 |
|
|
|
477,217 |
shewing a difference of 477,217 dollars and this, as I understand
does not shew the full reduction of expenditures, because the
estimates of
1867 include $170,000 in repayment of Temporary Loans,
while nothing of the kind is included in the expenditure of
1865.
The great reduction is of course in public works—where
the difference of the two Estimates is about $300,000.
This of course will have to go to Treasury eventually. But
the information which it gives should first be embodied in the
statement
wh is now being prepared respecting
B.C. finance.
I
wd therefore request that it may be retained for this purpose.