THE PROVINCIAL TREASURER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2531, 4 May 1876, Page 3

THE PROVINCIAL TREASURER.

» In expl«*it,ion oi tho present state of affairs with ref'Wunoe to thin appointment, we oavo boon requested to publish the followit g cor* respondents : — To Kis Honor tho Superintendent,— Bir,~in acoordanco with a promise verbally nmue, I lobo no trmo in forwarding to your H<uor copy of a letter of this da^s dv to from Vr boskoll, the Provincial ricoretrary and the Provincial Treasurer, informing mo of hie iutonded resignation of both iippointmotitß on May 1. I hwo tbe honour to reoommer,d that his ri-signation be eccepted f rom tho übovo dato, aud thai Mr 0. J. - cr^er. tho member for tno tioltou di-triot, bo »pp inted to both the vacant oflloco — I have tho honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, J. UiuonoPT Wimow, i j re, idenfc of th* Exooutivo. Provinoial Seoretary'a Office, April Hi, 1878. Chriatchurch, April 2*, 1876. My dear Sir Craoroft,— Circumstances, known to yourself and the members ot tbo """ xecuti/e, compel me to reßi«n mf < "Aloes as Provincial eoretary aud Provinoial Iroiuu er. I propuso to souri iv my rosiffira ion to his Hoiror the Miporintondi nt, »o tako effect from Mny 1 next. I regret exceedingly tbat 1 must part with your «elf a>rd ihe other mom. hereof the h xecutive Council, with whom, r believe, I havo worked during tho past twelve months without a Borlous difference of opinion of any aind— • Bolieve mo, yours vory truly, W. M. Maskeli,. Sir J. 0. Wilson, Presidont of Jbixocutive Counoil, Chrietchurch. Provincial Treasury, Christohuroh, N.Z. May 1, 1879. Memorandum for— His Honor tho Superintendent. Thoro aro Hover.il vouchors in tho offioo (unpaid) for which ohequos hav<r boon signod by Mr Haskell. Will your ironor be good enonah t<> instruct me whether tiese chequos must be o tnoolled nnd fresh ones written, or whether they may still bo issued; and if so, what <"ate they shall bear t W. Jameson, Provincial aub-Trcasuror. For tho Provincial Auditor t— What in tbe proper course, nnd what tho usual course P May 1, 1870. W. Uollestox, t/uporintenaent This is a diffloult enso to doal with. Tho Provincial •'-ud toris*f opiuion. thac in former canes of thn rotiri-rnent of tbo Treasurer, ohoques sifiied by him bofore resignati'm havo beeu allowed tr is.uo. As thoro appuaie to be a doubt as to 'heproprlo'y of adopting suoh a course, the, Proviuoial Auditor recommends thafc it should be referred to the Provincial sSolioitor. It would, however, be bettor at once to authorize somo mombor of tho Kxooutivo to aofc temporarily nsPovincial I reasuror, and to sl«n thoso ohoqu s d* novo— this ought to bo d' n» at onoe, in order to savo nn othor-wi-o Kreat public inooirvonionco May 1, 1876. J. Omjvikb, Provincial Auditor. Tor Sir Craoroft Wilson s— The Sub -Treasurer, inform* me that thoro is a chorine for JWOOO, duly signed by Mr Maskoll, and that ho has in truotions to pay this to tbo Bank, I have told him it must now wait r ill arrangements aro mado. May 1, 1870. VV. Rom-kstok. Eoforred to Provinoial Solicitor for his opinion. May 2. 1876. J. 0. W., Prosideuc. I see no difficulty whatovor in tho ohequosslroady issued, during Mr Masltoll's fllirifl ihooilfoo of Provinoial Trensuror, boing doliv. red to tho porsons entitled : Mt Jamoson filling in. as has b en his pvaotioe, the dates, which would bo t presume, April 29. S". J. Gakiuck, Provinoial Solicitor. Rub-Treasurer has boon instructed accordingly .— Submittod to Hia Honor for his information. May 2, 1876. J. 0. W„ President. For Mr Jamoaonto aot upon accordingly. May 2, 1870.. W. Roi.ieston, Superintendent. Provinoial A\idlt Offloo, 4 p.nf. Saturday. April 29, 1870. To his Honor tho Suporintondent. Sir.— l havo boon informed that Mr Maskell has rosi&nod his oillcos of Provinoial Seoretary uitd Trensuror. As thoro aro a largo numher of vouohers (probably tho monthly salary vouchors) whioh will bo passed for Tuosday next, may I roquosfc your Honor to make arrangements for their payment. In oonsequonoo of my having to proceed to Akaroa ou Tuesdrky morning, I havo certified to all vouchors in my possession, so as to provont any inconvenience which might arise from my unavoidable absence.— I havo tho honor to be, Sir, your obedient Servant, J. Olmvikh, Proviuoial Auditor. For Sir Craoroft Wilson. » X would suggest that, ponding arrangemouta for

tbo appointmont of a Provinoial Treasurer, some mombor of tbo Kxeoufcivo should countersign cheques issued by the Aseiatant-Trcasufor. This his frequently boon the oaso in tho absonoo or tho Provincial Treasurer, and will proven* much moonvomonoo, If you wish it, I would undorfcako to do tbis. As I verbally suggested, i think tho propor oourso would bo to appoint Mr Jamoson Acting Provincial Treasurer, aud I am unablo to see any neoossity for furfchor appointments involving the paymouta of salaries. T shall bo glad to confer with you on this point, bufc ponding final .arrangements, I shall bo glad to sanolion any ono of tho above coursos. „ _ . . , . W. RoMjESTon, Superintendent. Provinoial Soorotary's Ofllco, Christohuroh, May 1, 1876. Sin—With roforonoe to your Honor's minuto, without dato, ongrossod upon a lottor from tho Provincial Auditor oi the 20th ultimo, I bog fco state that ifc in of littlo uso my onforri/ig wit.h your Honor upon the subjeot of appointing a Provincial Treasurer. No answer has boon vouchsafed to my written recommendation, concurred iv by tho w'-'olo of tho Exooutivo as o ntained in my lottor of tho 24th ultimo, that, Mr . J. Harpor should bo appointed Provincial Treasurer, savo by word of mouth to tbo effros that your Honor would nofc appoint a gontloman of so littlo official exporienco. If tho inconvenience alluded to by your Honor does ooour, the blamo will rost upon your Honor, and not upon tho Exooutivi', wiro wish for a written reply to my lottor of tao 24th ultimo, and who unanimously objoofc to any departure from the regular logal courso.— l have, fto., , J, CiucnOKT Wilson, President of tiio Exooutivo Counoil. His Honor tho Suporintont. Pupoiintendent'e Ofllco, May 1, 1876. Sir,— T om sorry if mv having verbally replied to portion of your letter of tho 24fch instant, in wbioh you recommended a gcntlomau to tho oflloea of Provinoial rieoretory and Treasurer, should have appoared in any way to fail in bourtofy. I purposely ref mined from writing in reference to a mattor whioh I tbouKhfc should "bo tho sublet of penomrl coirforoiioo, as tho merits of at individual wero to ho disoussod. As I informod you verbally, I dissented from the nomination mado by you, aud Lain very decidedly of opinion that under the existing circumstances, ifc would bo propor to i ppoint fcho present Sub- TrottsiifOr, Mr Jameson, to the oflloo of Treasurer, or Acting -Treasurer, pondng tbo decision of tho Genoral Assembly as to the continuance ol tho provinces} and that thoro is no necessity to mako any further p «id offices. Suoh a oourso would tend to oxpedtto business, and would in no way interfere wiih tho propor constitutional oheolrs upon tie superintendent, who ruuifc still act with the advioo a\id consent Exooutivo Counoil. f rogret that what I cSfflfor tho highly improper aotion takon by Mr Masliell should havo rendered ifc noceesary to oonßidor thoso matters without tho time thoy requiro, and that delay may now" oauso considerable nublio inconvenience, 1. havo to ro-qu-st that under theso oiroumstanoos you will alford mo tho timo to oonsider any frewh proposals you may desire to mirko, and I havo to repeat that I shall bo glad to adopt any courso, howovor troublesome to myself, to carry on tho current business until tho quostion is finally settled. In referenco to tho lawt inragraph of your let tor, allow mo to assure you that I ha^o nofc the least intention to deviate from tho legal course wbioh should bo takon.—l havo tho honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, "Ww )'om,eston, Superintendent. The President of tho Jtexeoutive.* Provinoial Secretary's Oflloo, Ohristohnr«h, May 2, 1876. Sir,— -I havo tho honour to inform your Honor; in reply to your lottor of yostorday, thot tho KxecU' tive h>i vu no fresh proposal to make in respoot to t ho vuoant offices of Provincial Secretary and Provinoial Treasurer. In referenoe to y^ur Honor's observation, "That thero is no necessity to mako ay futuro paid offices," 1 beg fco sfctite that suoh a viow in totally afc.varianoe witb your Honor's suggestion mado previously lo the 24th ultimo, vl»,, that a g«ntleman named by your Horn r outsido of the Provinoial Council should bo app inted to tho two vaoaiit offtoes. I beg to aid thar, your Honor's minuto on Mr Jamosoa's inomorairdumof yostoiday has boon forwarded to the Provinoial Solioitor for his opiuiou.— l havo, Ac, , J. Cbaoroft Wilsoh, President of the Executive Oouucil. His Honor tho Superintendent. Provincial Bocvofciiry's Office, . hris,tohuroh, May 2, 1876. Sir,—l have tho honor to acknowledge tho receipt of your lottor of this day's date, from whioh 1 understand that tho Executive Counoil rofuso to edviso or assist; me furthor in tho matter of filling the vacant offfrios of Provincial Soorotary ond Pro* vinoinl Treasur r. Under theso circumstances, I have folt it, my duty to tako caro that tho publio norvice sbull bo carriod on, and that tho numbers of porsjns awaitiug payinontat the Treasury should' no longer suffer inconvenience I havo accordingly exercised tho powor voetod In mo by law of appoint* a Provinoial Troasuror, and havo appointed Mr William Jamoson to that ofllco.— l havo the honor to bo, hir, your obedient So vant, W. Komeston, Superintendent. Sir J. Craoroft Wilson, 0.8.X.5.1. President of tho Exooutivo Counoil. Provincial Secretary's Offloo, Christohuroh, May 8, 1876. Momo— The opinion of tho Provincial Holioitor is requested on the following question t— Mr William Jamoson has boon gazottod iv a I'rovlnoial Govornmont Qawtte, published rosterday, as Provincial Treasurer. '1 hia » ppoint ment has been maclo by his Honor tho Superintendent, without tho knowledge or advioo of tho ICxeoutivo Council. Is this appointmont valid and according to law P J. Oiuonosr Wilson, Presidont of tho "Exooutivo Counoil. This appointment is not, iv my opinion, authorisod by law. F. J. GUniuoK, Provincial Solioifc it. May 8, 1876. Previnoial Soorotary's Ofllco, Ohristchurch, May 8, 1876. Sir,— l havo tho honour to acknowledge tho receipt of your Honor's lottor of yontorday, delivered to mo at twenty, six minutos past twulvo o'olo k this day, in whioh your Honor states -" I understand that tho Kxooutive O.uncil lofu.e to advise o>' assist mo further in tho mattor of filling tho vacant offices of Provinoial Woorctary and Provinoial Troasuror," I bog most, distinctly to dissent from tho inforouco drawn by your Honor from my lettor on this mattor. After my objeoting to tuo appointment! of tho gontloman first namod by your Honor, who was not a mombor of the Provinoial Counoil, and there'oro inoligiblo, I submittod the namo ot Mr C. J. ilarpor, member for Sefton, for the appointment. Tho only objeotion mado by your Honor to this goutlomau was, that.you would not appoint anyono of so littlo offioial oxporieneo. I would remind your Honor that tho samo obj ofcion would applt to ovory member of tho Provino>al Council, with tho oxccptlon of Messrs Montgomory and Jollio, noithor of whom my colleagues woro proparod to proposo to your Honor for tho vacant offices, -I havo, &o , J. Oiucnorr Wilson, Prosidont of the ISxooutivo Counoil. His Honor tho Buporintondont.