H.—3B.

2

No. 2. a Memoeandum by Mr. Batkin. Me. Swanson, M.H.R., has made a personal complaint on the following subject: — It appears that an agreement was presented by him at the Stamp Office, Auckland, on the 26th October, 1869, to be stamped after execution. As such an instrument cannot be stamped by the Commissioner with an adhesive stamp, it was forwarded to this office to be impressed with the proper stamp, accompanied with a requisition in the usual form, copy attached. It was received at this office on the Ist November, 1869, and was stamped on the following day. The receiving clerk, into whose charge all stamped documents pass for delivery, states that, as it was not accompanied by any letter, he did not know from whence it had come or to whom to deliver it; but the requisition which accompanied the document had on its face the date stamp of the Auckland office, and the agreement itself was indorsed (in pencil) with the name and address of Mr. Swanson. It was the duty of the receiving clerk, and no less of the chief clerk (after having.been appealed to as to what was to be done with the document), to have applied to me for instructions, and both officers very much neglected their duty in not doing so. Mr. Swanson states that several applications were made to the Stamp Office at Auckland for the document, when he was informed that it had been sent to Wellington ; but no inquiries were made with reference to it at this office by the Deputy Commissioner, Auckland, and I think the Deputy Commissioner should be required to explain his neglect on this point. Mr. Swanson states that his inability to obtain possession of the document has occasioned him the loss of a very large sum of money, besides legal expenses ; and it is in compliance with his request that the matter is now laid before the Hon. the Commissioner. C. T. Batkin, Stamp Office, Wellington, 24th August, 1871. Secretary for Stamps.

No. 3. Mr. Batkin to Mr. Swanson. (No. 321.) Office of the Commissioner of Stamps, Wellington, Sib,— 29th August, 1871. Eeferring to your personal representation on the subject of a document presented at the Auckland office to be stamped in the month of October, 1869, but of which you did not recover possession until December, 1870, in consequence of its detention in this office, I am directed by the Hon. the Commissioners of Stamps to express their regret for the occurrence, and especially that the delay should have occasioned you inconvenience or loss. The Commissioners are unable to justify the neglect to return the document to Auckland after it had been stamped at the chief office, or to understand how it happened that no inquiries with respect to it were made by the Deputy Commissioner at Auckland, with whom it was originally deposited. The Commissioners will cause inquiries to be made on this point, and will severely reprimand the officers concerned for the neglect of duty to which you have called attention. I have, Ac, C. T. Batkin, W. Swanson, Esq., M.H.E., Wellington. Secretary for Stamps, Wellington.

No. 4. Mr. Swanson to Mr. Batkin. Sic— Wellington, 31st August, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 821, of date 29th August, referring to my personal representation on the subject of a document presented at the Auckland Stamp Office, to be stamped, in the month of October, 18G9, but of which I did not recover possession until December, 1870, in consequence bf its detention in the office of the Commissioner of Stamps at 'Wellington, and expressing the regret of the Commissioners for tho occurrence, and especially that the delay should have occasioned me inconvenience or loss. Tou also state that the Commissioners are unable to justify tho neglect to return the document to Auckland after it had been stamped at the chief office, or to understand that no inquiries with respect to it were made by the Deputy Commissioner at Auckland, with whom it was originally deposited. Tou also state that the Commissioners will cause inquiries to be made on this point, and will severely reprimand the officers for the neglect of duty to which I have called attention. In reply, I beg to state that the course intended to be taken by the Commissioners will not be satisfactory to me. Owing to an admitted neglect of duty in the office of the Commissioners of Stamps, I have been a heavy loser, and I consider that I have a just claim for compensation to the extent of that loss. lam prepared to place all the documents before the Commissioners to satisfy them on this point. I have, therefore, to request that you will be good enough to furnish me with the name of the the officer whose neglect of duty occasioned me this loss, that 1 may take legal proceedings to recover the money from him. Should the Commissioners decline to furnish me with this information, and still continue the officer in the employment of the Government, I respectfully submit that it is their duty to investigate the case, and, on satisfying themselves of the extent of my loss, to take such steps as may be necessary to reimburse me in full. I have, &c., C. T. Batkin, Esq., Secretary for Stamps, Wellington. Wm. Swanson.