SPECIAL TELEGRAM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7875, 18 May 1887, Page 2

SPECIAL TELEGRAM.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, May 17 THE OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD AND THE AUDITOR-GENERAL. I have had an interview with the Controllergeneral m connection with the disagreement re the Harbour Board accounts. Mr Fitezerald informed me he intended writing to -Mr Ron chairman of the board, this afternoon, and I now furnish you through the courtesy of Mr Ross with the following copy of the letter re™Tf S *£ F"W*aH informs me he must either bring the matter before the House to compel the board to abstain from spending any more money on the upper harbour. The following is a copy of the letter:— ! "Memo, for Mr Ross on the Otago Harbour Board accounts. • j "Referring to what has taken place afc the reI cent meeting of the Harbour Board, I think the position, judging from the report, is somewhat misunderstood. Under the act of 1886 the accounts have to be . kept under several distinct heads, and in order to open the accounts of 1887 it is necessary tlat the pioper balance shall be debited or credited to each; hence an analysis of the previous year's account is required in order to arrive at those balances. The question raised in mv special report m 1885 was thafc the. sum appromZl £.f * °Wet xh, arbo? r waß trnßfc earnings, and that vi^wwaa taken by several lawyer* Of

high standing. SU gg este d that the opinion of the Supreme Court should be taken on that poiut by way of a friendly action. I think it was due to the quarter from whicii the sugar-s----tion came and would have obviated the neccsh\d IhJl ? at m, ay prove eost]y ie Sal Proceedings nnll f wl ldone- Bufc ifc to be mit t!^, 4116 necessifcy &>r a separation ?fi^l-ff U. nH'\ oes uofc arise °"fc of tbe act of mv viewl? ° ihe ? reVi°UH loa" acte ' which 0" X? W* d a fc™<* favour of the lower harbour. But for thafc the whola balance ou K eVßß6mißMbe carrifiJ to credit or the general account. As Parliament has imposed on me the duty of aud tiu* \hZ SS? th« board h ya S as TundLtand ance it^^ 1'38^" Wtjre of *° import bEVTrL bmenr inydUtyt° the "(Signed) James Edward Fitzgerald.".

SIR JOHN HALL. morniSbvSf^t 1/ 6 an h°" «»* morning by the Hauroto from Sydney' He has New Sout rh° UW ft lt riP to>r-a. V^toria! S «ew bouth Wales, and although the voWe ™WK? am nSt: te u m Pes^ous one, he looks* £! te?hST«' Pr°bab,y bc!tter than he done him thi^ft fiVe yearl IJ bad a lon« cba* with ™?™i afte I rnoo °' wken he told me that he had not only resolved to enter public life noii* »t thJ. Sdtf l n 'but fchatbe -o«"if &tnds Zt. c lfc '.takea Prominent part in politics next session. He thinks the colony* could be better governed, and that much greater economy might be practised by the Government without reducing the salaries of clerks who are barely able to live now. Upon one point, however, he differs from some of the more rabid Freetraders who support Major Atkinson. He is not an out-and-out Freetrader. He seems full of life and spirits, and will soon again, I venture to predict, play an important part in public affairs. The Opposition are very anxious to have his advice and counsel, and Major Atkinson was with him for some time this morning alone in close consultation. The illness of one of his children will compel Sir John Hall to go on.to Canterbuy to-morrow, and he cannot state whether he will return before the close of the session. I believe that he intends before leaving Wellington to see Sir George Grey, to whom he has not spoken for several years. It seems that Sir George has been holdiug out the olive branch to the Opposition, and it is said that he wishes to be trieudly with the present or coming leaders