E'.rV-Nbr2A.

Loan of Theee Millions. £ s. d. £ s . d. Balance, 30th June, 1868 200,049 8 9 Suppression of Rebellion 6,475 6 4 Introduction of Settlers, Surveys, &c. ... 7,944 1 7 Recoveries ... ... ... ... 1,618 6 6 Reinstatement of Taranaki ... ... 1,835 11 2 Transfer to Revenue, v. Appropriation Act, 1869, sec. 14 105,190 8 11 Transfer to Eevenue, v. Appropriation Act. 1868, sec. 5 20,000 0 0 Debentures in Circulation, £3,000,325. Debentures issued under " The Debenture Act, 1865," redeemed 48,207 15 H Balance, 30th June, 1869 12,014 11 _ £201,667 15 3 £201,667 15 3 The following Provincial Charges, made under the head of " Distillation Act, 1866," are objected to:— 1. " Eewards paid to Peter Pender and E. Pain, out of fine of £100 recovered in the Eesident Magistrate's Court, Christchurch, £66 13s. 4d.; charged against the Province of Canterbury." 2. " Eose, one-third of balance of £50 recovered, £14 18s. 3d." " The Distillation Act, 1866," section 20, provides that all fines, penalties, and forfeitures shall bo divided and applied in a certain manner, viz., that the expenses are first of all to be deducted from the amount recovered, and, after payment of the seizing officer and the informer, the balance is to be paid to the " Public Account." In the instances above referred to, the whole of the fines has been paid into the " Public Account." Taking the first case, there was paid to Eevenue £100, which sum has been divided thus:— General Government moiety, £50 ; Province of Canterbury moiety, £50; but against this receipt of £50 the Province has been debited with the reward of £66 13s. 4d., thus being deprived of the £50 revenue, and losing £16 13s. 4d. besides. Had the direction of the Act been followed, the accounts would stand thus: — £ s. d. Fine recovered ... ... ... ... ... ... 100 0 0 Less rewards ... ... ... ... ... ... 66 13 4 Balance to Public Account ... ... ... ... ... £33 6 8 Of which the General Government would get one moiety and the Province the other. As the accounts at present stand, the General Government gets £50 and he Province of Canterbury is mulct in the sum of £16 13s. 4d. It is unnecessary to continue the illustration with reference to the second item, the result being of a similar nature. It is submitted that an adjustment of the accounts should be made, so as to relieve the Provinces of these charges. The following payments are charged Provincially, under the head of " Customs Eegulations Act, 1858:"— Gounty of Westland: £ s. d. Voucher 1321—C. Limming, half of £24 recovered ... ... 12 0 0 Province of Auckland: £ s. d. Vouchers 6973-6979 —Sundry awards, about £100 recovered ... 72 10 0 Wilson, balance of reward of £30 ... ... 5 0 0 Touchers 9187-9 —Maoris'rewards ... ... ... ... 15 0 0 ';. Voucher 2217—Eose, half of seizure ... ... ... ... 416 4 Voucher 2218—11. McKellar ... ... ... £125 0 0 H. McKellar ... ... 23 15 0 (£47 10s. credited to Eevenue in this case.) ■ • 148 15 0 Touchers 2219, 4124, 4125—Aubrey and others ... ... ... 20 0 0 H. Aubrey, reward ... ... ... 50 0 0 (On account of seizure of " Eingdove," sold for £265.) ;:) .;■• . D. Lundon, half of seizure recovered ... 0 11 6 Total charge against Auckland ... ... ... £316 12 10 Province of Wellington : —Acheson and others, rewards in Jenkins' case £130 0 0 Province of Hawke's Bay .- —Tabuteau, &c, rewards and share of penalty recovered ... ... ... ... ... ... ..,: £25 0 0

4

REPORT BY THE AUDITOR-GENERAL ON THE