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occupies the joint offices of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and "Waste Lands Commissioner in the Province of Auckland, and who it is understood receives no regular salary from the Provincial Government for the execution of his responsible duties. May I request your Honor to be good enough to explain the arrangement as to the payment of that office from Provincial funds. I have, &c, Heney Sewell, His Honor the Superintendent, Auckland. (for the Colonial Secretary.) No. 10. The Supebintexdent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Secbetabt. Sie, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, sth January, 1865. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your letter No. 316, of date 23rd December, ulfc., asking information as to arrangements made for payment of salary from Provincial funds to the gentleman holding the offices'of Commissioner of Crown Lands and Waste Lands Commissioner, and to inform you in reply, that at present no salary is paid for the performance of these duties, the Council having last session declined to pass a vote for it. Mr. Haselden, the present "Waste Lands Commissioner, is employed by the Government in other matters unconnected with that department. I, by letter (No. 675) dated 2Sth May, 1864, recommended that Mr. Haselden should draw from the General Government £150 per annum, as Beceiver of Land Revenue for the Province of Auckland. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Bobeet Geaham:, Auckland. Superintendent. No. 11. The Hon. the Colonial Seceetaey to the Supeeintendent, Auckland. Sie, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 28th January, 1865. I have the .honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Honor's letter of the sth instant, in which you inform me that at present no salary is paid to the gentleman holding the offices of Commissioner of Crown Lands and "Waste Lands Commissioner, the Provincial Council having during last session declined to pass a vote for it. I regret to be obliged to express to your Honor the opinion of Government that this is a very defective arrangement on the part of the Provincial Government, and one which cannot be considered other than very detrimental to the public service. The Commissioner of Crown Lands is charged by law with very important duties and subjected to serious responsibilities. The same officer has also been appointed by the Governor (as the law requires) Eeceiver of Land Revenue. In this capacity, as your Honor is doubtless aware, he is mainly responsible for the legal disposal of the Waste Lands of the Crown in the Province, and for the due receipt of the money for which they are disposed of, no Crown grants being issuable until he has certified that the law has been complied with in these respects. No salary has hitherto been paid to the Receiver of Land Revenue, the Government, until the receipt of your Honor's letter, having been under the impression that as Commissioner of Waste Lands, he received a proper salary from the Provincial Government. The law is express, that Receivers of Land Revenue shall be paid out of Land Revenue arising in the respective Provinces such salaries as may be reasonable remuneration for their services. The Government intend, therefore, to pay a salary of £150 per annum to the present Receiver of Land Revenue and Crown Commissioner, to commence from the first day of the present month ; but as they do not consider that sum adequate to the responsibilities and duties of that office and the Commissionership of Crown Lands, they propose to bring the subject before the General Assembly at its next session with a view to such alteration of the law, if necessary, as will admit of the arrangement of these offices and salaries on a more satisfactory footing. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Henet Sewell, Auckland. (for the Colonial Secretary.) No. 12. The Superintendent, Auckland, to the Hon. the Colonial Seceetaet. Sie, — Superintendent's Office, Auckland, 2nd February, 1865. I have the honor to ackowledge receipt of your letter No. 32, of date 28th January ultimo, relative to the salary for the Commissioner of Crown Lands and Eeceiver of Land Revenue. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Eobeet Geaham, Auckland. Superintendent.

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OP LAND REVENUE, ETC., IN THE PROVINCE OP AUCKLAND.