H.—lo

4. I append a statement in which the sources of revenue and the amounts stated in the first column have been copied from the Register of Victoria above referred to, whilst the second column shows the rev enue of this colony from the same sources, as given in the volume of Statistics of New Zealand for the same year; the result being that the receipts in New Zealand, during 1875, amounted to £2,841,953 (instead of only £1,677,626), as compared with the £4,236,423 received in Victoria. 5. It is true that there is appended to the table in " Westgarth's Circular " a note stating, " The New Zealand revenue is ex provincial revenues: adding these, which include the land revenue, the total is £2,813,928." This is still nearly £30,000 less than the fact; and the error is no doubt due to the compiler not being aware that the amounts of certain " Special Funds," such as sales of confiscated lands, and sales of lands set apart as security for North Otago and Westland Loans, are strictly colonial revenue. You will be able to explain this to Mr. Westgarth better than can be done in writing. 6. You should, I think, request that the figures in the tabulated statement may be corrected— because an explanation in a note is very likely to be overlooked ; and because there never has been justification for separating Provincial from General Government revenue when the purpose has been to compare the revenue of New Zealand with that of other colonies. It would be well, too, if you informed Mr. Westgarth that the statistics of the colony, and all other printed official documents relating to its progress, are promptly received at your cffice; and that, as they are freely at his service, it is not necessary he should seek information as to New Zealand from any resident in New South Wales. I have, &c, The Agent-General for New Zealand, London. H. A. Atkinson.

Enclosure. Victoria, 1874^75. New Zealand, 1875. £ s. d. £ s. d. Customs ... ... ... ... ... 1,628,234 17 5 ... 1,274,400 12 6 Excise ... ... ... ... ... 32,474 15 8 ... 102,670 18 6 Ports and Harbours ... ... ... ... 19,935 7 6 ... 18,667 11 2 Licenses (business) ... ... ... ... 10,714 4 9 ... 48,861 15 10 Duties on Estates of Deceased Persons ... ... 32,526 1 1 ... 7,670 6 0 Land Sales (including Eents counting towards purchase money) ... ... _ ... ... 767,030 9 6 ... 486,278 9 0 Eents of Crown Lands (not counting towards purchase money) ... ... ... ... 174,193 17 8 ... 112,172 10 1 Kailways ... ... ... ... ... 921,713 14 6 ... 289,369 5 4 Water Supply ... ... ... ... 88,556 8 0 Public "Works (exclusive of Eailway and Water Supply) ... ... ... ... 6,834 6 7 Post and Telegraphs ... ... ... ... 198,325 17 7 ... 133,091 8 9 Fines, Fees, and Forfeitures ... ... ... 116,83115 6 ... 199,257 17 1 Eents, Ordinary ... ... ... ... 748 19 0 ... 3,738 9 8 Eeimbursements in aid ... ... ... 36,845 5 2 ... 5,542 1 5 Interest and Exchange ... ... ... 75,024 10 0 ... 95,64113 2 Miscellaneous Eeceipts ... ... ... 126,432 15 11 ... 64,590 2 3 £4,236,423 510 ... £2,841,953 0 9

No. 3. The Agent-General to the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer. 7, Westminster Chambers, Victoria Street, Westminster, S.W., Sir,— Bth March, 1877. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 12th January, No. 9, in which you point out to me certain incorrect statements in Mr. Westgarth's Circular, of a prejudicial nature to the colony, and in which you direct me to communicate with him on the subject. In reply, I have the honor to state that I had already taken action in the matter. In the December Circular, Mr. Westgarth corrected the particular error of which you complain, by substituting £1,677,626 for £1,420,216. My attention was called to certain other errors in this Circular, the first one issued after my arrival, and I wrote to Mr. Westgarth a note, copy of which I subjoin, as also one of his reply. Since then, Mr. Westgarth has placed the population at 375,856, and the total revenue at £2,813,928. Most of the items, and the form of the statistics, are similar to those issued by the Government of New South Wales. I believe I have before pointed out that, whilst the Provincial system continued, the statistics did New Zealand injustice, as they purported to compare its revenue with those of other colonies, whilst leaving out of that revenue the large items of land revenue which swelled the revenues of other colonies. I have, Ac., The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, Wellington. Julius Vogel, Agent-General.

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