Superintendent’s Office,
Dunedin, 6th December 1854.

THE following Documents are published for general information.

W. CARROLL,
Superintendent.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Auckland, 21st October, 1854.

Sir,—Adverting to your letter of the 5th July last covering authenticated copies of the Ordinances named in the annexed Schedule, passed by the Council of the Province of Otago, and assented to by your Honor on behalf of the Governor, I have the honor to inform you that I have submitted the same to the Officer administering the Government, and His Excellency is of opinion that the "Dunedin Public Lands Ordinance," purporting to deal with what in strictness might be deemed Crown Lands, and the "Empowering Ordinance," which vests in the Superintendent larger powers than under ordinary circumstances it would be desirable to allow, are both open to some objection. But looking to the distance of Otago from the seat of the General Government, and to the fact that the latter Ordinance does not take from the Governor any of the powers vested in him by the several Ordinances contained in the Schedule referred to in that Ordinance, His Excellency considers there are no sufficient grounds to call for the exercise of the power of disallowance vested in him with respect to any of the Ordinances forwarded by your Honor.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your very obedient Servant,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
Colonial Secretary.

His Honor the Superintendent,
Province of Otago.

SCHEDULE REFERRED TO.

Session I.

1. Executive Council Ordinance.
2. Appropriation Ordinance.
3. Government Gazette Ordinance.
4. Provincial Revenue Ordinance.
5. Dunedin Public Lands Ordinance.
6. Empowering Ordinance.
7. Appropriation Ordinance (Supplementary).
8. Ferries Ordinance.
9. Jetty and Wharf Ordinance.
10. Public Roads Ordinance.
11. Scab and Catarrh Ordinance.

Colonial Secretary’s Office,
Auckland, 7th November 1854.

Sir,—I beg to forward to your Honor ten copies of the Acts passed by the General Assembly (as far as they have yet been printed), and specified in the margin, for the use of the Province under your Honor’s superintendence.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient humble Servant,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
Colonial Secretary.

His Honor the Superintendent,
Province of Otago.

ACTS ABOVE REFERRED TO.

Nelson Trust Funds Act.
Law Practitioners’ Act.
Dower Act.
Marriage Act.
English Acts Act.
Secondary Punishment Act.
Naturalization Act.
Licensing Amendment Act.
Powers of Attorney Act.
Provincial Waste Lands Act.
Waste Land Act.
Public Reserves Act.
Appropriation Act.

and consent of the Provincial Council thereof, as follows:—

1. A statement of all the receipts and expenditure of the Revenue of the Provincial Government shall be laid before the Provincial Council within ten days after the thirtieth day of September in each year, if the Provincial Council be then sitting; or if not, within ten days after the commencement of the Session next after the thirtieth day of September in each year.

2. For the purpose of auditing the accounts of Receipts and Expenditure of the Revenue of the Province, there shall be constituted a Board of Audit, to be composed of Three persons, of whom one shall be from time to time appointed by the Superintendent, and Two shall be elected by the Provincial Council from amongst its Members for such period (not exceeding the duration of the Council by which they shall be elected) as may be declared at the time of any such election. Provided that at the time of any such election they shall not be persons holding any office under the Government.

3. Any Auditor elected by the Provincial Council, who shall accept any office under the Superintendent, shall forthwith cease to be and to discharge the duties of Auditor of the Public Revenue of the Province.

4. It shall be the duty of the Auditors to audit, examine, and report upon all accounts of receipts and expenditure of the Public Monies of the Province.

5. It shall be lawful for the Auditors to call for vouchers and to examine witnesses relative to such accounts, and every person is hereby required to give such attendance, and produce such vouchers and documents, as the Auditors shall order and direct by a summons to be signed by their Chairman, stating the object for which such person is required to attend, and specifying the vouchers and documents to be produced.

6. Every person, without reasonable cause, failing to attend as required by such summons, or to submit himself to examination, or to produce such vouchers and documents, and any person prevaricating before such Board of Audit, shall forfeit and pay for every such offence any sum not exceeding Forty Shillings, to be recovered in terms of the Ordinance Session II. No. 5, of the Legislative Council of New Zealand, for Regulating Summary Proceedings before Justices of the Peace.

7. Every person wilfully and knowingly giving false evidence before said Board of Audit shall forfeit and pay for every such offence any sum not exceeding £20, to be recovered as aforesaid.

8. This Ordinance shall come into operation on the day of the passing thereof.

W. CARROLL,
Superintendent.

Passed the Provincial Council the twenty-third day of November, and assented to by His Honor the Superintendent the fourth day of December, 1854, on behalf of the Governor.

ROBT. CHALMERS,
Clerk of Council.