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Thus the benefactions of our friends are spread imperceptibly over the colony in relieving the Revenue of some trifle of its authorised charge, instead of coming to the hands of the greater sufferers and helping appreciably to replace those losses which the colony does not recognise as a charge upon it. We still desire therefore that any aid subscribed for Taranaki should be paid into the Union Bank of Australia, Auckland, to the credit of the "Taranaki General Relief Fund" in the names of the Colonial Treasurer and the Provincial Treasurer of Taranaki.

I may remark that only part of the sufferers derive any aid from funds in the Nelson Committee’s hands, whilst the plan I am advocating distributes the assistance among all who have lost or become necessitous by the war.

Any help that you can afford in laying this view before the friends who are interesting themselves for our settlers will oblige the Provincial Government.

I remain, Gentlemen, with many thanks for your previous kind offices,

Your obedient servant,
J. C. RICHMOND,
Provincial Secretary,
Taranaki.

Messrs. John Gladstone & Co.
Cornhill, London.

Superintendent’s Office,
New Plymouth, 13th April, 1861.

Sir,—Since the despatch of my letter of the 8th instant I have received from the Taranaki Aid Committee of Nelson copy of a resolution passed by that body, which you will receive by this mail.

A misapprehension seems to exist in the minds of many persons that I have discouraged private subscriptions. This has arisen, I presume, from the anxiety I have felt to divert public benevolence into a channel which I have always believed to be the proper one, and to prevent the absorption of all funds arising from public subscriptions by a small section of the families at Nelson through the Aid Committee there. My last letter will explain sufficiently the condition of the settlers at the end of the war, and their need of a fund to start them again, but I have only incidentally adverted to the condition of families at Nelson. There are about 1000 women and children at Nelson, who are provided from the funds of the colony with house accommodation, fuel, medical assistance, and a weekly allowance in cash, varying from 7s. to 28s. per family according to the number of members. The agent is, moreover, authorised to supply any other necessaries that may be required, out of the public funds, if there are no private funds remaining to be drawn upon. It is obvious therefore that the effect of sending aid to Nelson simply relieves the colony at large from so much of the burthen it has undertaken and is of no special benefit to the immediate sufferers by the war.

There are many families in Nelson who are supported entirely by the exertion of their husbands, or from the remains of such property as they have been able to save from destruction, and in Taranaki there is still a larger number who have struggled on amid the war without assistance of any kind.

I know of no instance in which the kind of assistance mentioned in the resolution is required, and I believe that an eleemosynary fund tends in this as in most other cases to foster habits subversive of economy and industry, and to create the necessity it relieves.

I believe I am speaking the sentiment of the mass of the sufferers when I say that they would prefer receiving assistance at the end of the war, when their struggle will really commence, to seeing the benevolence of England confined to administering to the present comforts of a section of their families.

I have, &c.,
(Signed) G. CUTFIELD,
Superintendent.

E. D. Sweet, Esq.,
Hon. Sec.
Taranaki Aid Committee,
London.

Taranaki Aid Committee,
Nelson, 8th April, 1861.

Sir,—I am directed by this Committee to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 5th ultimo, and to forward to you in reply a copy of a resolution passed at a meeting of the Committee held this day, which will put you in possession of their views upon the subject of your communication.

I have, &c.,
(Signed) OSWALD CURTIS,
Honorary Secretary.

Thomas King, Esq.,
Provincial Treasurer,
Taranaki.

COPY of a Resolution passed at a Meeting of the "Taranaki Aid Committee," Nelson, held at the Chamber of Commerce on Monday, 8th April, 1861.

Moved by Oswald Curtis, Esq., seconded by Alexander Kerr, Esq.—

"That the Chairman of the New Zealand