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No greater mistake therefore can be made than to suppose that under conditions such as exist here it is optional with the Government to expend its surplus revenue on such public works as it thinks best or not as it may.
There are works, although executed by the Government and nominally out of public funds, virtually paid for by the purchasers of "Crown land" in the shape of premiums, and the Government is merely, as it were, a trustee for carrying out public undertakings of a general character which cannot be so inexpensively or efficiently accomplished by the unorganized efforts of a number of private individuals. If the Government were not to engage to carry out these works, the receipts under the head of premiums would disappear.
6. In his Memorandum, Mr. Mercer observes in the concluding part that in his opinion it would be better in every way if, instead of merely promising to carry out such works, the Government were to complete them before the time...
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