Auckland Provincial Government Gazette.

101

matter itself is not a municipal one, and though I should decline to relieve you of all responsibility, I place my services at your disposal in carrying out your views.

J. E. MACDONALD,
Mayor.

(32.)
Auckland, 18th February, 1876.

To His Worship the Mayor,
Thames.

Thank you for your courteous telegram. I never proposed to ask you to act in the manner you mention. I still hope and trust that there will be no removal of people from Thames to Wellington.

G. GREY.

(33.)
Government Buildings,
19th February, 1876.

His Honour the Superintendent,
Auckland.

No. 66. In the absence of the Colonial Secretary Ministers have read your Honor’s telegram. The Colonial Secretary will reach Auckland to-day or to-morrow, and we are sure will give to your Honor’s representations the consideration their importance demands.

C. C. BOWEN.

(34.)
Auckland, 21st February, 1876.

To Honourable the Premier, Wellington.

A main question raised in my telegram of the 18th instant appears to be overlooked in the reply to it; and it is one which must be dealt with by the Cabinet.

An arrangement was made towards the close of the last Session between the Colonial Treasurer and Provincial Treasurer that certain amounts should be paid to the Provincial Government to enable it to conduct the public business. In the amounts so to be paid were included the Goldfields Revenue and the Capitation allowance.

The Provincial Treasurer states positively that when he arranged with the Colonial Treasurer for an advance of Sixty thousand pounds in aid of Provincial Revenue for the current year, it was distinctly understood that this Province would receive about One thousand pounds a month from the Colonial Treasury on account of Capitation allowance.

Stoppages from that source have now been made to the extent of Three thousand pounds for the quarter ending 31st of December last; and the Receivers of Gold Revenue have been instructed, without any reference or intimation in relation to this subject having been made to the Superintendent as holder of the delegated powers, to cease paying such monies into the Provincial account, and to pay them to the Public Account of the Colony.

I am advised that the "Payments to Provinces Act, 1871," has no longer the force of law, and that the Act of 1872 is the one under which the Provinces draw their Capitation money. It seems, therefore, that the Treasury has not the legal power to make the stoppages which it has done.

I pray that I may be immediately informed whether the Government will or will not carry out the arrangement concluded between the Colonial Treasurer and Provincial Treasurer, that I may determine what course I must pursue under present difficult circumstances.

The population of Auckland was about Sixty seven thousand when an advance of Sixty thousand pounds (out of revenue raised in itself) was allotted to it in aid of the Provincial Revenue.

To the Province of Westland, with a population less than Fifteen thousand, a sum of Thirty-five thousand pounds was similarly allotted.

G. GREY.

(35.)
Superintendent’s Office,
Auckland, 21st February, 1876.

Sir,—

In compliance with your instructions, I saw the Honourable Colonial Secretary this morning, and took with me copies of your telegraphic correspondence with the Colonial Secretary and the Premier. The Colonial Secretary informed me that the Government had every desire to assist you to the best of their ability in reference to the labour question at the Thames, but that they saw no end to the mere finding employment for the men for the purpose of keeping them in a particular locality, the ordinary labour market of which did not require their services. I represented to him that the employment necessary would probably be only of a temporary nature, and that in the course of a month or two I understood the mines that were now closed would be re-opened, and that then the labour of these men would be absorbed in their ordinary occupation of mining as heretofore. The Colonial Secretary said that there was a sum of £4,000, being the balance of the loan of £40,000, not yet paid over to the Provincial Government, that he was quite willing to order the immediate payment of that sum to your Honour, and that the Governor would be advised to assent to its appropriation in such way as your Honour might recommend. I pointed out to the Colonial Secretary that this amount was considered as available for the ordinary expenditure of the Provincial Government of Auckland in the arrangement made between the late Colonial Treasurer and myself during the last session of Parliament regarding funds, and that if this sum was appropriated as he proposed we should probably fall short of means later on to carry on the ordinary and necessary Provincial expenditure required for the maintenance of gaols, hospitals, police, &c. He said in reply, "If that should be the case we shall have to come to your assistance; in the meantime this sum will meet your immediate necessities."

I have, &c.,

READER WOOD,
Provincial Secretary.

His Honour the Superintendent.

(36.)
Auckland, February 21, 1876.

To His Worship the Mayor,
Thames.

The Government having suggested that an arrangement regarding the unemployed at the Thames might this day be made with the Colonial Secretary, I delayed proceeding there until to-morrow, as I should have been powerless unless such an arrangement had been made. It has been made. To-morrow I shall be with you.

G. GREY.

(37.)
Superintendent’s Office,
Auckland, February 22, 1876.

Sir,—

With reference to the labour question at the Thames I have the honour to enclose for your information copy of a letter from Mr. Wood to me, informing me of a proposal made by you to him for providing means to continue the employment of labour at the Thames. Under the circumstances I agree to your proposal, and shall be obliged by your making arrangements for the due payment of the