288

Dunedin, 6th Nov., 1861.

To His Honor the Superintendent—

1. SIR,—I have the honour to report to you the result of my proceedings in connection with prospecting for the Government, since the 15th September last.

2. My researches have extended from the site of the present gold-fields to the Pomahawk, and from thence towards the Mataura.

3. Throughout the country I have traversed, I have to report that gold exists in quantities which would remunerate the day labourer, by what is commonly termed “wages,” but I regret to say that I have not been fortunate enough to find a payable gold-field, such as that of Gabriel’s Gully, or the Waitahuna.

4. It is my firm impression that although I have not succeeded in further discoveries, that payable gold-fields exist in the country I have inspected, and that they will before long be brought to light through the medium of an increasing and wide spreading population.

5. I was precluded from prosecuting my search for the existence of the precious metal, by means of deep sinking, by the absence of the proper material and appliances.

6. In thus furnishing a brief report of the result of my labours, which I regret were not more successful; I beg to say that I don’t think myself sufficiently qualified to prosecute further enquiries relative to new gold fields, and I request the Government to relieve me of my further duties in connection therewith. At the same time, I beg to express my feelings of gratification at the manner you have been pleased to mention my name in Council.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
THOMAS GABRIEL READ.

REPORT by the Auditors on the Public Accounts for the half-year ended 30th Sep., 1861, and Balance Sheet for the year ended at that date.

WE have examined the whole Accounts and Vouchers, and have found them correct, except Voucher No. 1015, which is £10 under-summed, and Voucher No. 1568, which is £1 under-summed; by which errors these amounts remain due—the first to Mr. Kennard, late Paymaster, and the second to Mr. Shepherd, late Chief Constable; and except also the Voucher, No. 164 (Revenue) in which there is an error of 2s. due by the Harbour Master.

We direct attention to the fact that £31 13s. 4d. Voucher No. 1202, and £32 8s. 6d. Voucher No. 1203, have been paid to Mr. Strode as Resident Magistrate, at Oamaru. The expenses of Resident Magistrates being generally defrayed by the General Government, notice should be taken that these sums are not charged in the General Government’s account against the Province.

CLUTHA COAL-FIELD.

By agreement, £2000 were to be advanced to Mr. Lewis, the lessee, when certain works were finished. The whole sum has been advanced to him and on his account; but there is no certificate that the works have been finished. Further we find that the Clutha Coal-field is charged with £3000 in place of £2000, the sum actually expended; the additional £1000, being money drawn from the Bank by the late Superintendent, Mr. Macandrew for the railway, plant, &c., but not applied to that purpose, we consider should be removed from the debit of the Clutha Coal-field.

DOUBIGGING’S EFFECTS.

There is an account of £10 relative to the body of Mr. Doubigging, which ought to be charged against his estate if he have left any.

We find that a compensation of £500 has been granted to Mr. Filléul for land at Oamaru. We are of opinion that in the receipt given for that money the transaction should have been more explicitly stated, and that the document should have been at least self-explanatory, instead of referring as it does to letters which may be lost.

We strongly advise that the practice hitherto followed of issuing one warrant for several accounts should be departed from. The present practice is very apt to lead to mistakes; e.g. one warrant before us was for two accounts, one of them paid within the period of our audit, the other not paid before the close of the financial year. Other warrants we found for half a dozen vouchers of various dates. We consider this to be irregular; and therefore recommend that every separate voucher have a separate warrant.

With regard to the sums paid beyond the appropriations, though we examined the vouchers for them, we consider it unnecessary to report the exact amounts of the excess, the Provincial Council having passed an indemnity.

JOHN GILLIES, AUDITOR,
THOMAS TAYLER,
J. M’GLASHAN.

Dunedin, 27th Nov., 1861.

Superintendent’s Office,
Dunedin, 6th Jan., 1862.

HIS Honor the Superintendent has been pleased to authorise

Mr. JOHN DICK

to print and publish the Otago Provincial Government Gazette.

By order,
JOHN HARDY,
Provincial Secretary.

Superintendent’s Office,
Dunedin, 7th October, 1861.

HIS Honor the Superintendent directs it to be notified that he has appointed

EDWARD COOKE, Esquire,

to be a Commissioner at Tuapeka Gold Fields and any future extension thereof, under the “Gold Fields Act, 1858”; to act on and after 23rd inst., vice A. C. Strode, Esq., appointed R. M. at Port Chalmers.

By order,
JOHN LOGAN,
Clerk to Superintendent.

Printed for the Provincial Government by JOHN DICK, Dunedin, Otago.