B.—B.

Sess. 11.—1897. NEW ZEALAND.

SINKING FUNDS.

REPORT AND ACCOUNTS OP THE COMMISSIONERS OP THE PUBLIC DEBTS SINKING PUNDS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st MARCH, 1897.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly in compliance with the 6th Section of " The Public Debts Sinking Funds Act, 1868."

EEPOET. Government Buildings, Wellington, 7th September, 1897. The Commissioners of the Public Debts Sinking Funds have the honour to lay before Parliament the account of their transactions for the year ended on the 31st March last, and in doing so to express their keen regret that death should have removed their late Chairman during the year, and that the colony should thus have sustained the loss of so eminent a man, of one who was so distinguished by the unselfish devotion of his great talents to the best interests of the Public Service, as James Edward FitzGerald, C.M.G. Debentures amounting to £16,800 issued under " The Auckland Loan Act, 1863," became due on the Ist June, 1896, and were duly met, except as to an amount of £600, the debentures for which were not presented for payment. All debentures issued under that Act having, with the foregoing exception, been redeemed, the balance, amounting to £32,430 12s. 9d., which the Commissioners held of the relative sinking funds, was released and paid into the Public Account. The last instalment, amounting to £9,200, of the debentures issued under " The Lyttelton and Christchurch Eailway Loan Ordinance, 1860," became due on Ist January last; but the debentures which had been presented for payment up to the close of the financial year amounted to no more than £4,700. These were paid off, and the same amount of sinking funds held in respect of the loans raised under that Act was released, and the amount paid over to the Treasury. J. K. Wakbukton, Chairman.