13

A.—4.

In reply, I am to inform you that this matter had received the fullest consideration from the Government prior to its adopting the step of removing you from office, as notified in the Treasury letter of yesterday's date. I have, &c., C. T. Batkin, W. Dorset, Esq., Wellington. Secretary to Treasury.

No. 30. Mr. Smith to the Secretary to the Treasury. Sir, — Wellington, 20th February, 1874. I have the honor to acknowledge your letter (No. 150) covering the warrant of His Excellency the Governor, appointing me to the office of Auditor of the Public Accounts of the Province of Wellington, &c. The second paragraph of your letter states that it is to be distinctly understood that the appointment is to be regarded as temporary, and one which the Government are at liberty to rescind in the event of its being considered desirable to make other arrangements. I should state that the conversations I had with you on the subject gave me no indication of this feature in the appointment, and in view of the peculiar position of the affairs and with the certainty of much labour, if nothing more, in the outset, while gratefully acknowledging the honor conferred, I beg most respectfully to decline the appointment on the terms proposed, and I accordingly return His Excellency's warrant herewith. I do not know whether, under present circumstances, I may be considered to hold the office of Deputy Auditor; but if it be so, in order to enable the Government to make arrangements to facilitate the public business, I respectfully resign that appointment. I have, &c, C. T. Batkin, Esq., Secretary to the Trpasury, Wellington. B. Smith. Minute on above. Recommended that His Honor the Superintendent of Wellington be informed that Mr. B. Smith, who was gazetted as Provincial Auditor on the 19th instant, has declined the appointment, and has likewise resigned the office of Deputy Auditor ; also, that H. S. McKellar, Esq., has been appointed Provincial Auditor. 23rd February, 1874. C. T. Batkin. , | ~|, MB , ■MHWIM^MM ■■■I^M '

No. 31. The Secretary to the Treasury to Mr. Smith. Sir,— Treasury, Wellington, 23rd February, 1874. I have the honor, by direction of the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant, in which you state that, in assenting to the proposal to appoint you to the office of Provincial Auditor, you had received no indication that the appointment was to be regarded as temporary, and that, in view of the peculiar position of affairs, and, as I gather from your letter, of possible difficulties to be met with in the outset, you decline to accept the appointment. You add that, in order to enable the Government to make arrangements to facilitate the public business, you resign the appointment of Deputy Auditor. The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer has directed me to express his regret that the conditions to which you refer should have presented an insuperable objection to your acceptance of the proposed appointment, and his surprise to learn that your resignation of the office of Deputy Auditor should have been dictated by a desire " to enable the Government to make arrangements to facilitate the public business." I am to point out to you that, in terms of "The Provincial Audit Act, 1866," your resignation of the last-named office should be " by writing addressed to the Governor." I have, &c, C. T. Batkin, B. Smith, Esq., Wellington. Secretary to Treasury.

No. 32. The Secretary to the Treasury to Mr. McKellar. Sir,— Treasury, Wellington, 23rd February, 1874. By direction of the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, I have the honor to enclose herewith a warrant, under the hand of His Excellency the Governor, appointing you to be Auditor of the Public Accounts of the Province of Wellington.