SURPLUS PAYMENTS of REVENUE.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXVIII, Issue 38, 12 May 1869, Page 3

SURPLUS PAYMENTS of REVENUE.

The following Message from the Superintendent was received by the Council on Thursday, May 6, together with a copy of the correspondence which had taken place on the subject. From the latter we extract a telegram forwarded by the Superintendent from "Wellington, on the 13th of July, to the Provincial Secretary, by which it will be seen that a month after the close of the session his Honour was engaged in examining the Treasury accounts, in order to ascertain their true state as between this province and the General Government : — The Superintendent transmits to the Provincial Council, in accordance with their request, copies of correspondence, by letter and telegram, respecting the errors made by the Colonial Treasury in the accounts between the colony and the province. The correspondence is very limited, owing to the fact that most of the communications which took place on the subject were by word of mouth during the stay of the Superintendent in Wellington. It will be seen that the Superintendent was informed on the Ist of June, while the Council waa still sitting, that the gross sums credited for consolidated revenue for February and March were considerably in excess, and that the balances of those sums paid to the Provincial Treasurer consequently exceeded the amount due. But, assuming that this was the case, of which the Superintendent was not; convinced at the time, it did not appear probable that the surplus payments could be of an amount seriously to affect the estimate of revenue for the then current year. A telegram from tho Superintendent to the Provincial Secretary, dated Wellington, 13th July, 1868, shows that it was not till the Superintendent was able to attend personally at the Colonial Treasury, that any idea of the true state of thirigs became apparent to him ; and, indeed, when the telegram \?as written, not more than one-half the amount of the errors had been discovered. The Superintendent requests the attention of the Council to the Colonial Treasurer's accounts, both, erroneous and corrected, which will be submitted for their inspection, from which members conversant with accounts of this character will see that it was not possible for the Provincial Treasurer or Auditor to detect the errors under consideration until the publication of the Gazette of the 9th and 20th of July afforded them the means of checking the accounts. Oswald Curtis, Superintendent. Nelson, 6th May, 1869. The Superintendent of Neison to thePiiovrKOiAii Secretary. I am looking into Treasury account, and find things anything but favourable to us. I fear we shall have much to refund, but will look into it thoroughly. Meantime enter into no engagements for material for proposed bridges. (Signed) Oswald Curtis, Superintendent. Wellington, July 13, 1868.

Provincial Revenue and Expendittxbe. — A Gazette, recently issued, gives the Eevenue and Expenditure for the quarter ended the 31st March. The total receipts amounted to £38,814 12s. lid., against an expenditure of £23,153 3s. 7d. The overdraft at the bank, which, on the 31st of December last, amounted to £22,489 2s. 6d., was reduced at the end of last quarter to £6,827 13s. 2d., and this, we understand, represents as near as maybe the true indebtedness of the province at that p irticular moment. Re-distributiok of the Judicial Districts op the Supreme Court.— The Evening Post, of the 2Sth April, has the following : — " It is rumoured that a re-distribution of the judicial districts of the Supreme Court is likely to be made shortly, and that the Wellington District will then be assigned to his Honour Sir George A. Arney, the Chief Justice. As the Court of Appeal sits in Wellington, it does seem singular that the Chief Justice should reside in another place, and at a distance from the Seat of Government. The proposed change will probably engage the attention of the Legislature next session, and whatever regret we may feel at losing Mr. Justice Johnston, whose urbanity and courtesy have wnn the esteem and respect of the bar and the public, yet we cannot fail to recognize the claims which this city possesses to be made the judicial centre of the colony, and, as a consequence, the residence of the Chwf Justice."