A.—4

1874. NEW ZEALAND.

DISALLOWANCE OF PROVINCIAL BILLS, (PAPERS RELATIVE TO).

Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency.

No. 1. His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Superintendent's Office, Wellington, 19th January, 1874. I do myself the honor to forward through you, for His Excellency the Governor, the following Acts passed by the Provincial Council of Wellington during their present Session (XXVI.), to which I have assented on His Excellency's behalf, viz., — "An Act to authorize the construction of certain Bridges, Roads, and other Works in the Province of Wellington ;" "An Act to authorize the Superintendent to convey a Piece of Land at Mastcrton to Her Majesty the Queen •" "An Act to bring cThe Municipal Corporations Waterworks Act, 1872/ into operation in and for the Borough of Wanganui, in the Province of Wellington;" "An Act to provide for the Management of certain Public Reserves situate in or near the Borough of Wanganui." . I have, &c, William Fitzherbert, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 2. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary to His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington. Sir,— Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 28th January, 1874. "The Bridges, Roads, and other Works Appropriation Ordinance, 1874," has attracted the notice of the Government on account of the manner in which it is framed. Instead of the ordinary authority to expend out of Provincial revenue, with the provisions usually inserted in the Appropriation Ordinances of the Province, the Ordinance authorizes the expenditure to be made by the Superintendent, without defining out of what source it is to be defrayed. Before coming to a decision as to what advice Ministers should tender to His Excellency on the subject, I have to ask your Honor if you are prepared to give a specific assurance, — 1. That the .€50,550 appropriated by the Ordinance will be expended only out of ordinary Provincial revenue, supplemented, if required, by overdraft not exceeding that which " The Provincial Audit Act, 1869," sanctions. 2. That the expenditure shall only be made with the cognizance of the Provincial Auditor, under the provisions of the various Acts regulating the auditing of Provincial expenditure. I have further to observe, with reference to the loan to which the Ordinance refers, that your Honor must not consider—supposing the Ordinance is not disallowed—that it creates a claim to the loan, or that it would warrant the supposition by the Assembly that the Government had in any way committed the country to such loan. As the fate of the Ordinance is uncertain, it would be well for your Honor to delay acting on it for a few days. I have, &c, William H. Reynolds, (in the absence of the Colonial Secretary). His Honor the Superintendent, Wellington. I—A. 4.