BY PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENTS

7

B.—No. 12.

No. 6. The Hon. E. W. Staffoed to Mr. Hoos. (No 395 ) Colonial Secretary's Office, glß) __ ' '' Wellington, 14th May, 1869. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th instant, on the subject of an overdraft to the amount of twenty thousand pounds, for which, under the circumstances stated therein, the County of Westland had negotiated with the Bank of New Zealand. After a careful consideration of your letter by the Cabinet, they are strongly of opinion that m the short interval (about a fortnight) which must now elapse before the session of the General Assembly, they would not be justified in prejudging the opinion of the Legislature in respect of the proposed overdraft. , , The Government have been influenced in arriving at this decision, by the tact that the treneral Assembly has in successive Sessions, since 1865, prohibited Provinces from borrowing without its previous assent, and, from the seventh section of " The County of Westland Act, 1868," that the County is virtually in the position of the Provinces in that respect. As it appears from your letter that the Estimates of Eevenue which you forward are being realized, I trust that no public inconvenience can occur in the short interval which will elapse before the decision of the General Assembly on this question can be announced. The Chairman of the County Council I have, &c, of Westland. E. W. Staffoed.

No. 7. Mr. Hoos to the Hon. E. W. Staffoed. g IB _ Wellington, 15th May, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge your letter No. 395, dated 14th May, 1869, and, in reply, I respectfully ask you to state whether the decision given in the same, with regard to the circular letter addressed to the Banks mentioned in my former communication, is retrospective as regards the negotiated overdraft by Westland ?_ A reply to this will greatly oblige. I have, &c, C. Hoos, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Chairman, County Council of Westland.

No. 8. The Hon. E. W. Staffoed to Mr. Hoos. g IE Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 15th May, 1869. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day, and, in reply, to state that the notice to which you refer, given by the Government to tho Banks respecting Provincial overdrafts, could necessarily have no retrospective effect. I have, &c. The Chairman of the County Council of Westland. E. AY. Staffoed.

No. 9. Mr. Hoos to the Hon. E. W. Staffoed. Telegram. Hokitika, 9th June, 1869. Please induce the Bank authorities to forward instructions to the Manager here for carrying out the financial arrangement between the Bank of New Zealand and the County. The Colonial Secretary, Wellington. 0. Hoos.

No. 10. Mr. Hoos to the Hon. E. W. Staffoed. Telegram. Hokitika, 18th June, 1869. No reply received to my telegram dated 9th June. The Manager here is anxious for instructions from his principals. Please reply. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. C. Hoos.

No. 11. The Hon. E. W. Staffoed to Mr. Hoos. Telegram. Wellington, 18th June, 1869. The Government has no power to compel the Bank in the matter in question. The Chairman of the County Council, Westland. E. W. Staffoed. N.B.—This telegram was prepared on the 10th June, but, by an accident, was not despatched till the 18th. " ,