B.—No. 2a.

4

REPORTS BY THE

Second Repokt. The following statement of the Consolidated Fund Account for the year 1867-8 excludes the transfers of revenue to which the Auditor objects in his First Report, and brings the whole of the revenue transactions of the year into one statement, —divided, however, into two Parts, to show its relation to Colonial Treasurer's Adjustment and Consolidated Revenue Accounts (Parts I. and II. of printed Statements). It will be seen that, after gathering up the receipts and disbursements, there remains a cash balance to the credit of the Consolidated Fund at the Bank of New Zealand of £46,979 15s. 11., besides a sum of £83,619 18s. 4d. issued as advances to be accounted for. In reference to the advances to be accounted for, large sums have been issued from each of the four funds belonging to the " Public Account" of the Colony. These advances altogether amount to the sum of £380,513 Is. 5d., as shown in the table below, leaving a cash balance in the " Public Account" at the Bank of New Zealand of £127,802 7s. 6d. to the credit of the several funds, as also shown in the following table : —■ Sums to the Credit of the Four Funds of the " Public Account." £ s. d. Consolidated Fund ... ... ... ... 130,599 14 3 Special Fund ... ... ... ... 299,944 18 2 Land Fund ... ... ... ... 40,124 0 1 Public Trust Fund ... ... ... ... 37,646 16 5 508,315 8 11 Of the above sums there remain in the " Public Account " The remainder having been issued as advances for various at the Bank of New Zealand the following cash balances, services out of the following Funds, viz. : — viz. :— £ s. d. £ s. d. Consolidated Fund ... ... 46,979 15 11 Consolidated Fund ... ... 83,619 18 4 Special Fund ... ... 7,183 14 11 Special Fund ... ... 292,761 3 3 Land Fund ... ... 36,856 13 2 Land Fund ... ... 3,267 6 11 Public Trust Fund ... ... 36,782 3 6 Public Trust Fund ... ... 864 12 11 127,802 7 6 380,513 1 5 v , , i £508,315 8 11 It will be understood that the advances have been made without reference to the question whether they will be finally charged on the fund out of which they were issued. The Auditor explained, in previous years' Reports, that the Colonial Treasurer used the public moneys in his charge as though they belonged to a common fund, available at all times for the general use of the Treasury. If the above Statement were reconstructed, so as to show the particulars as " Dr." and " Cr." balances, it would form a balance sheet of the cash transactions of the Colony for the year 1867-8, thus: — Ce. Db. £ s. d. £ s. d. Consolidated Fund ... ... ... 130,599 14 3 Special Funds ... ... ... 299,944 18 2 Land Fund ... ... ... 40,124 0 1 Public Trust Fund ... ... ... 37,646 16 5 "Public Account" at Bank ... ... ... 127,802 7 6 Advances ... ... ... ... 380,513 1 5 508,315 8 11 508,315 8 11 The remaining balances shown in the Colonial Treasurer's Account, pp. 36 and 37, are " cross " entries. It would add somewhat to the clearness of the Treasurer's Balance Sheet if the " cross " entries were placed below the " line." In further explanation of the Finance Accounts, there are appended an Abstract of the Three Million Loan Account, and a Statement showing Appropriation and Expenditure under the Three Million Loan. The total appropriations by law on account of the loan would appear to be £4,001,118 4s. 2d., and the total expenditure, so far as it had been brought to account on the 30th June, 1868, is £2,869,909 19s. 8d. Chaeles Knight, 23rd August, 1869. Auditor.

Consolidated Fund Account, 1867-8. Part I. of Colonial Treasurer's Finance Accounts.

Receipts on account of £ s. d. £ s. d Consolidated Fund, as per Treasurer's printed Statement ... ... 215,558 12 8 Deduct receipts finally discharged in previous year's Account ... 88,460 4 1 , 127,098 8 7 Balance carried down to Part II. ..•. 193,650 13 0 320,749 1 7 Disbursements, as per Colonial Treasurer's priuted Statement £ s. d. 320,749 1 7 320,749 1 7