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No. 7. The Hon. Dr. Pollen to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— The Whau, Avondale, Auckland, 24th April, 1893. On the 27th November last, I had the honour to address to you a letter in which, with reference to former letters specified therein (25th September, 1891, October, 1891, and 11th January, 1892j, on the subject of my claim for arrears of pension, admitted to be due to me, I stated that I had not received any official reply. I am anxious, I repeat, if I cannot obtain justice in this matter daring my lifetime—which must now be short—to leave the record of my claim complete, and I now, therefore, again respectfully crave the courtesy of an official reply to that letter (27th November, 1892), or, at least, a curt acknowledgment of its receipt, if nothing more can be accorded. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Daniel Pollen.

No. 8. The Hon. Dr. Pollen to the Hon. the Premier. Sir,— The Whau, Avondale, 13th November, 1893. My claim for arrears of pension having been investigated by the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives in the session of 1891, a,nd the report recommending payment of that claim having been referred by the House to the Government for consideration, I have been endeavouring since that time, as the letter (24th April, 1893), copy of which is herewith, shows, to obtain from the Hon. the Colonial Secretary an official intimation of the intentions of the Government in regard to that report. I have not received an official answer to any of these letters, or even the courtesy of an official acknowledgment of their receipt. Under these circumstances, and as you were good enough to inform me by telegram before the close of last session that you would bring the report of the Public Accounts Committee before the Cabinet, I crave respectfully that you will give, or cause to be given, to me an official intimation of the intentions of the Government in regard to that report, or even, for record, a curt acknowledgment of the receipt of these letters, if nothing more can be'accorded. Permit me to add that I think that I am entitled to this ordinary courtesy, or, at least, to some explanation of the exceptional and apparently offensive treatment to which I am subjected in this matter. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Daniel Pollen.

Enclosure in No. 8. Note.—The letter of 24th April, 1893, referred to in above letter, is already printed as No. 7.

No. 9. The Hon. Dr. Pollen to the Hon. the Premier. Sib, — The Whan, Avon dale, Auckland, 5th December, 1893. On the 13th November last, I had the honour to address to you a letter on the subject of arrears of pension due tome, to which was attached copy of a letter of date 24th April, 1893, to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. It is intelligible that pressure of public work and engagements has prevented you from giving attention to the request contained in that letter; and I venture to trouble you now only to place before you, as additional information in the matter, a copy of the letter of date 27th November, 1892, specially referred to in the letter above mentioned to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. I have, &c, The Hon. the Premier, Wellington. Daniel Pollen.

Enclosure in No. 9. Note.—The letter of 24th November, 1892, referred to above, is already printed as No. 6.

No. 10. The Hon. the Premier to the Hon. Dr. Pollen. (No. 1059.) Sir, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 14th December, 1893. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 13th ultimo and sth instant, in which you ask for an official intimation of the intention of the Government as regards the report of the Public Accounts Committee in 1891 on your claim for arrears of pension. I have also to acknowledge your letters of the 15th September and 14th October, 1891, and 11th January, 1892. In reply, I have to inform you that, having carefully considered the question, the Government regret that they cannot see their way to reopen it, unless by the express direction of Parliament. I have, &c, E. J. Seddon. The Hon. Dr. Pollen, M.L.C., The Whau, Avondale, Auckland.

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