H.—39a

1890. NEW ZEALAND.

AUDIT OFFICE ESTIMATES (FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE CONTROLLER AND AUDITOR-GENERAL RESPECTING THE), FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31st MARCH, 1891.

Laid on the Table by the Hon. Captain Busscll, with the Leave of the House.

The Con'tkollek and Auditok-Genebal to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sib,— Audit Office, 15th September, 1890. I have the honour to state that, owing to the diminution of the vote for the Audit Department, I find, after full inquiry, that, in order that the vote may not be exceeded, it will be necessary that six clerks should be dispensed with, whose combined annual salaries amount to £1,121 10s. The salaries on the votes of last year, amounting to £2,990 10s., having been paid for six months, £545 is all that is available for the salaries of the reduced staff for the rest of the year; and the vote will even then be probably exceeded by nearly £300. I am unable to recommend the further reduction of the staff", as the rest are absolutely indispensable for the audit of the expenditure—in other words, for control. But the audit of the revenue must be entirely abandoned, including the most important branch of the law trust moneys, except so far as it is effected by the occasional visits of an Audit Inspector. I beg also respectfully to remind you that the gentlemen whose services are to be dispensed with will be entitled under the existing law to be paid compensation for loss of office, or salary iluiing three months' leave of absence, which will amount to a present payment of about £1,400, or about £450 more than if the department had not been reduced. I have, &c., James Edward FitzGebald, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Controller and Auditor-General. [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (l,.') 00 copies;, 13s.]

Authority: George Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9o.