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1881. NEW ZEALAND.

REPORT OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE ON THE HON. DR. POLLEN'S PENSION (TOGETHER WITH MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS.)

Brought up Ist July, 1881, and ordered to be printed.

ORDER OP REFERENCE. Tuesday, the 17th Dat op Atjg-ust, 1880. Ordered, " That the matter of pension and arrears of pension to the Hon. Dr. Pollen be referred to the Public Accounts Committee, to report on the circumstances under which the same were granted."— (Mr. Speight.)

REPORT The Public Accounts Committee, to which was referred by the House, on the 17th August, 1880 the matter of pension and arrears of pension to the Hon. Dr. Pollen, with directions to report on' the circumstances under which the same were granted, have now the honor to lay before the House a copy of the proceedings in the case, and the printed papers and records before the Committee, and to report: — That, in awarding a pension of £418 15s. a year to Dr. Pollen, and paying that pension from the 30th October, 1876, the Government acted according to the weight of opinion given by the Crown Law Officers, and even paid £1,391 12s. 6d. less than the Audit Department were willing to pass as legally due to Dr. Pollen. The Committee are, however, of opinion that the Crown Law Officers and Civil servants of the colony have put the most favourable interpretation on doubtful points io this claim for pension, and underrate circumstances which appear to make the claim of doubtful legality The Committee think it is open to grave doubt whether Dr. Pollen was entitled to reckon for purposes of his pension, the time during which he held a seat in the Executive Council without pay or portfolio. The Committee are also of opinion that the promise made by Sir Julius Vogel, that the sum of £300 paid to Dr. Pollen as Paymaster of Imperial Pensions should be included in any calculation for purposes of pension, was one which it was beyond the lawful authority of any Minister to make and subversive of due parliamentary authority and control. The Committee consider that any case of the above nature, which may in itself be reasonable, but is surrounded by legal difficulties, should be submitted to Parliament for decision. E. C. J Stevens, Ist July, 1881. Chairman, Public Accounts Committee.