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records in which would be found the verification of the statement made and reiterated by me—that the validity of my claim had already been admitted by the Law Officers of the Crown—AttorneyGeneral and Solicitor-General—by the Controller and Auditor-General, Mr. FitzGerald, and by the Permanent Officer of the Treasury, Mr. Batkin ; I might have added also, by the Hon. Colonial Treasurer, Sir Julius Vogel, who, knowing all the circumstances under which, at his instance, I joined his Ministry in 1873, endeavoured when lately in office to obtain for me the just settlement desired, and so long withheld. As in similar cases, and with such official and parliamentary sanction as above noted, it has been usual —as was done in my own case on a former occasion—to make the payment and take \ vote on the estimates afterwards for the amount. As I have not had answer to my letter first above mentioned, and am ignorant as to the course proposed to be taken by the Government in a matter to me at this moment of very great importance, I respectfully crave the favour of a reply. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Daniel Pollen.

No. 5. The Hon. Dr. Pollen to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— Wellington, Bth October, 1892. On the 25th September, 1891, after the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Eepresentatives had reported favourably upon my claim for arrears of pension, I had the honour to forward a voucher for the amount (£1,389 Os. 5d.) recommended, with a request that the money—my legal and equitable right to which was long ago admitted by the Controller and Auditor-General, by the permanent officers of the Treasury, by the Law Officers of the Crown, and finally, after due inquiry, by the Public Accounts Committee—might be paid to me. •Subsequently, in the month of October, in order to facilitate reference to the evidence of the facts alleged, I forwarded a memorandum indicating the places in the several public documents in which that evidence was to be found. On the 11th January ultimo I wrote calling attention to the letters above mentioned, and asking that, as I was still in ignorance of the course proposed to be taken by the Government in a matter of great importance to myself, I might receive the favour of a reply. As I have not received official answer or acknowledgment of the receipt of any of the letters above mentioned, I again respectfully crave the favour of a reply. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Daniel Pollen.

No. 6. The Hon. Dr. Pollen to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— The Whan, Avondale, 27th November, 1892. On the Bth October last I had the honour to address to you a letter in which, with reference to letters of dates 25th September, 1891, October, 1891, and 11th January, 1892, on the subject of my claim for arrears of pension, of the receipt of which I had received no official acknowledgment, I craved the favour of a reply. To that letter I have not yet received an answer. Originally, in 1877, I was made very painfully to feel that the fair consideration of my claim to a retiring-allowance as a Civil servant was prejudiced by political party feeling, and, as the records show, a long time elapsed before 1 obtained even the courtesy of a reply from the Government, or such an instalment of justice as I could accept; but now, at this distance of time, I may be permitted with all due respect to say that it seems very hard that the question of the discharge of a just debt to an old public servant should depend, even in appearance, upon a party vote in the House of Eepresentatives. It is a just debt or it is not. It has been admitted to be just by the Controller and AuditorGeneral, by the Permanent Chief of the Treasury (Mr. Batkin), by the Hon. the Attorney-General, by the Solicitor-General, and finally, after careful consideration, by the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives, who recommended that the money (£1,389 Os. 5d.) should be paid to me. If any other evidence or proof be necessary, I will endeavour to furnish it if so required. I hope that I shall not be considered to be unreasonably importunate in this matter : at my time of life, and for my family's sake, a speedy settlement is desirable. I have done in the public service, loyally as I think, more than thirty years' of hard and very responsible work, often, in the early time, gratuitously, or with very slender pay, and I only ask now that the public faith officially pledged to me when, in 1873, at the urgent instance of the Premier (Sir Julius Vogel) and his colleagues I accepted Ministerial office, and reaffirmed by the Governor in Council in 1876, should be as loyally kept. The report of the Public Accounts Committee having been referred by the House of Eepresentatives to the Government for consideration, it is not, I hope, too much to ask for an official intimation of what is intended to be done. In any case, as I desire to leave the record of my claim complete —if it is not to be satisfied in my lifetime—l may respectfully crave to receive at least an official acknowledgment of the receipt of this letter, and of the other letters herein above mentioned. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Daniel Pollen.

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