8.—19.

1902. NEW ZEALAND.

"THE PUBLIC REVENUES ACT, 1891": CORRESPONDENCE IN CASE WHERE AUDIT OFFICE DECLINED TO PASS INCREASED APPROPRIATION FOR WORKING RAILWAYS.

Laid on the Table in pursuance of Section 53 of " The Public Revenues Act, 1891."

The Controller and Auditoe - Gbnbeal to the Hon. the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives. Audit Office, 3rd July, 1902. The Controller and Auditor-General has the honour respectfully to submit to the House of Eepresentatives, in accordance with section 53 of "The Public Eevenues Act, 1891," a copy of the correspondence in a case where, the Audit Office having declined to pass £36,859 12s. 2d. as the sum by which the appropriation for working railways could, under section 6 of "The Public Eevenues Acts Amendment Act, 1900," be deemed to have been increased for an expired portion of the year, on the ground that the computation was not made on the revenue in the Public Account according to the Public Eevenues Act, the Governor in Council determined the matter in dispute by deciding that the excess of the actual over the estimated revenue from railways for such expired portion of the year was, as shown by the computation, £36,859 12s. 2d. J. K. Warbubton, Controller and Auditor-General. The Hon. the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives.

No. 1. New Zealand Eailways, Accountant's Office, Ist February, 1902. Memorandum for the Paymaster-General. I expect to have telegraph returns of the " C. threes " for week ending to-day made up and transmitted to you on Monday. When received and entered up in your books, please let me know the total receipts from the Ist April to that date according to your figures, so that a claim on account of the surplus revenue for the portion of the financial year now expired may be applied for, to supplement Vote 66 (see section 5 of " The Public Eevenues Act Amendment Act, 1898"). ' Kindly attend to this so that I may be provided with the necessary information to get our waning vote recruited. I hope you will have all transfer vouchers, &c, dealt with by that time, so that the full credit the Eailway is entitled to may be got. Please jot hereon. A. C. Fife. The Accountant.—For action.— J. B. H., Ist February.

No. 2. Figures attached.—E. J. Collins, 4/2/02. " Eailway revenue to 3rd February, 1902 ... ... ... 1,618,100 14 i Less refunds ... ... ... ... ... 100,912 6 7 Net Eailway revenue ... ... ... ...- ...£1,517,188 7 6

No. 3. The Controller and Auditor-General. The above is the Eailway receipts according to Treasury to the Ist February, but entered by that Department on the 3rd February (see minute on attached), viz. ... ... £1,517,188 7 6. Less of £1,760,000, amount of Eailway revenue estimated for year 1900-1 < 1,480,328 15 4 Surplus to be carried to vote ... ... ... ... ... £36 ) g59 12 2 Please note, and register extension to Vote 66 accordingly. A. C. Fife. 4/2/1902.