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that the Harbour Committee will cordially co-operate in furtherance of the objects sought to be attained, and I trust to receive an intimation that such co-operation will be afforded in order that as little delay as possible may take place in the settlement of the affairs of the Commission.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,
your obedient servant,
J. LOGAN CAMPBELL,
Superintendent.

To the Chairman of the
Harbour Committee,
etc., etc., etc.

Superintendent’s Office, Auckland,
4th December, 1855.

Sir,—I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letters of the 16th ult., informing me that “the Officers of the Committee are directed to prepare the various documents and statements of their departments” for the purpose required in my letter of the 13th ult., and also of a resolution of the Committee which informs me that a Select Committee had been formed “to draw up a report of the past year’s proceedings of the Committee of the Harbour Commissioners.”

I have also to acknowledge your letters of the 30th ultimo, enclosing “such documents as the Officers of the Harbour Commissioners have been able to prepare” to the date of your letters, in order to explain to me the nature of the circumstances under which the Harbour Committee have called upon me for an advance on account of the vote of the Provincial Council, Sess. 4.

16th November, 1855.

Sir,—Your Honor’s letter of the 15th having been laid before the Committee thisday, I am directed to forward to your Honor the accompanying resolution for your Honor’s information, and I may add that the Officers of the Committee are directed to prepare the various necessary documents and statements of their departments for the purpose required.

I have, etc.,
Wm. Powditch,
Chairman.

His Honor,
the Superintendent.

30th November, 1855.

Sir,—I herewith enclose you such documents as the Officers of the Harbour Committee have been able to prepare to this date. I do so in order that the earliest opportunity may be afforded to your Honor (by the best means at our disposal) to satisfy you of the nature of the circumstances under which the Harbour Committee have called upon your Honor for an advance on account of the vote of the Provincial Council, Sess. 4.

I am not furnished by the Committee, nor can I myself understand, any other mode or time of re-payment than may be gathered from the terms of the vote itself.

I may observe that a report having been prepared of the proceedings of the Harbour Commission from its first commencement, the same will be laid before the Commissioners on Monday the 10th December next, and a copy of that document, after having been submitted to the Commissioners, will be forwarded to your Honor together with every other more particular detailed papers which the Committee shall direct to be appended thereto, for your Honor’s more particular information.

The annual audit will also take place at an early date according to the Harbour Act. And a report accompanied by all the details will be furnished to the Provincial Council according to the Auckland Harbour Land Act.

An adjourned preliminary meeting of the Committee will take place on Wednesday next, which I beg leave to intimate, in case your Honor should choose to make any further communication to them on their affairs previous to the general meeting before mentioned.

I have, etc.,
His Honor
Wm. Powditch,
The Superintendent,
Chairman.

Superintendent’s Office, Auckland,
4th December, 1855.

Sir,—From the documents received I find that the present and contingent liabilities of the Harbour Committee amount to £2,395 12s. 0d.; that of the assets, estimated at £2,082 3s. 5d., there is only available, without encroaching on the working property of the Commissioners, the sum of £529 11s. 3d., leaving a deficit of £1,867 0s. 9d. to be provided for; to which has to be added “the estimated cost of securing the main wharf and other works at present unfinished,” £880, making a total of £2,747 0s. 9d., an advance of which to the Harbour Committee will be requisite, to enable them to carry out the object of the Resolution, contained in your letter of the 12th ult., which asked for the sum of £2,000 “to liquidate the liabilities which had been incurred” and to enable “the Engineer to secure the works which had been already commenced.”

Taking into consideration the peculiar position of the Harbour Committee who, it appears, from the documents referred to, incurred liabilities at a time when they believed they would be in a position to liquidate the debts thus contracted through the sale of their endowments; bearing in mind also, the hardship of allowing the creditors of the Commissioners to remain any longer with their just claims unpaid; I have the honour to inform you that I shall take upon myself the responsibility of advancing from the vote of Sess. 4, namely, “Harbour loan to Harbour Committee to enable the works to be proceeded with until endowments become available, £5,000,” the sum required to liquidate the liabilities of the Committee, and secure their works, say to the extent of £3,000 on the understanding that when the Commissioners shall be in a position to offer proper security for re-payment it shall be given.

I have further to state that I shall not be prepared to make any further advance than the sum named until after the ensuing meeting of the Provincial Council, and that should the Harbour Commissioners increase their liabilities they will do so at their own personal risk.