Auckland Provincial Government Gazette.

233

(No. 13.)
Auckland, 8th April, 1875.

I thank you for your prompt reply to my second telegram. I am obliged by your offer of providing for the immediate needs of this Treasury. I only asked for what this Province is, I believe, entitled to as of right. See your correspondence with my predecessor at Wellington in April of last year, and refer to practice pursued on this subject, from which it seems clear that the fourth instalment of six thousand pounds was payable on the 31st March ultimo.

G. Grey.

(No. 14.)
Government Buildings,
8th April, 1875.

Officers of the Treasury insist that three instalments only of the forty thousand advance can now be due. These have been paid.

A statement of items of the sum of six thousand seven hundred and thirty-nine pounds four and seven-pence will be sent to your Honor by mail to-morrow.

DANIEL POLLEN.

(No. 15.)
Auckland, 8th April, 1875.

Re fourth instalment of six thousand pounds. Please look at the correspondence referred to in my telegram of this date.

G. Grey.

(No. 16.)
Auckland, 8th April, 1875.

In your telegram of 27th March you suggest that perhaps I may be able to find funds for the necessary Public Works on the new Goldfield at Ohinemuri in the Fifty thousand pounds advance authorised under the Loan Act, 1874.

Do the words “Thames Goldfields,” in section eighteen of that Act, mean the Goldfields existing at the time of the passing of the Act or do they include Ohinemuri and any other Goldfields which may be proclaimed subsequent to the passing of the Act?

G. Grey.

(No. 17.)
Auckland, 8th April, 1875.

Can you let me, to-morrow morning, have your answer about the Fifty thousand pounds? I think I see my way now, when this point is settled, to accept the delegated powers over the Goldfields.

G. Grey.

(No. 18.)
Government Buildings,
April 9th, 1875.

Your Honor will, I hope, excuse me if I decline to be the interpreter of the words of the “Immigration and Public Works Act, 1874.”

DANIEL POLLEN.

(No. 19.)
Auckland, 9th April, 1875.

Your telegram of this day received. I now accept the usual delegation of power under the Goldfields and other Acts, and will act in conformity with the views of the Government expressed in your telegram of March 27, regarding the expenditure of part of the sum of fifty thousand pounds.

G. Grey.

I am advised that all other funds are appropriated. I assume that, if it become necessary to do so, the Government will provide further funds to fulfil agreement with Pumping Association.

G. Grey,

(No. 20.)
Government Buildings,
April 9, 1875.

I have looked again at the papers on the subject of the advance of forty thousand pounds at your Honor’s request. I have also looked at the Provincial Public Works Advances Act, which I think leaves no doubt as to the will of the General Assembly in this matter. The question of “right” which your Honor has raised being thus, I hope, disposed of, I repeat on behalf of the Government, the offer of accommodation made in my telegram of the 7th inst. A sum of fourteen thousand three hundred and thirty-three pounds odd, being the fourth instalment of the forty thousand and the unpaid balance of the twenty-five thousand, will be remitted now, if your Honor will apply for it as an advance of the regular payments on these accounts.

DANIEL POLLEN.

(No. 21.)
Auckland, 10th April, 1875.

It was agreed between the two Governments, on the 14th April, 1874, that a first instalment of six thousand pounds should be paid upon the passing of the “Provincial Appropriation Act,” and six thousand pounds every three months thereafter, until Forty thousand pounds had been advanced. The total amount was to be repaid by the Province. Certain Provincial funds were to be retained by the Colonial Treasurer until the whole forty thousand pounds was so refunded.

In fulfilment of this agreement the “Appropriation Act” was passed on the 17th June, 1874. The first instalment of six thousand pounds was paid on the 30th June.

The Assembly ratified this arrangement on 31st August, 1874. The second instalment fell due on the 30th September, and was paid on the 9th October, 1874.

The 31st December passed without a third instalment of six thousand pounds being paid. I am advised that in an interview with my predecessor about the end of January, you did not lead him to suppose that any doubt existed that this third instalment had not then become due; and from that time the Provincial Government, in order to meet what it understood to be your wish, as expressed at that interview, pressed its demands on the Colonial Government as little as possible. During the two months which followed this interview, no intimation was given by you to the Superintendent that the payment of the third instalment due on the 31st December was to be disputed.

On the 31st March ultimo, the Colonial Government made a third payment—a payment of six thousand pounds.

All this, in agreement and practice, constituted such an undertaking between two Governments as is, I believe, always held sacred.

Of the will of the Assembly we know nothing. Of actual words of pledge, of securities given and accepted, of acts performed, there can be no doubt. It might be said that the will of the Assembly would be fulfilled by one penny being paid to the Province every three months. I believe that, by every rule of public faith, this Province was entitled to the payment of a fourth instalment on the 31st March.