4

Custom House, Auckland, 11th July, 1854. SIR, — 1 have the honour to transmit herewith for the consideration of His Excellency the Officer administering the Government, copy of a letter received from the Collector of Customs at Sydney, having reference to an accusation made by me in April last in the Resident Magistrate's" Court against the master of the barque Ino for a breach of the Customs Regulation Ordinance in having landed at the Chatham Islands the greater portion of his cargo without the duties being first paid or secured. I have since been credibly informed that there are sometimes as many as thirty American whaling vessels laying in the harbour of Wangaro, having tobacco and cotton manufactures on board and prepared to barter for produce with the natives. Under these circumstances (and being fully assured that after paying the expenses of a Custom's establishment there, the surplus revenue would be considerable) I fully concur in the suggestion contained in the latter paragraph of the letter of Colonel Gibbes that it is expedient and highly desirable for the safety and general benefit of the revenue of this colony that an officer of experience and ability should be as soon as possible appointed to that station. I have the honour, kc., kc., (Signed) William Young, The Honourable Collector. The Colonial Secretary.

Custom House, Sydney, 9th June, 1854. Sb, — I do myself the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th April last informing me that the Ino had been cleared out at this port for the Chatham Islands and that she had landed nearly all her cargo at some place in those Islands, and also stating that it is highly injurious to the revenue of New Zealand to allow vessels to obtain clearances outwards at this port for those Islands as there is no port of entry and clearance there : and I beg to state that I do not think it in my power to refuse to allow a vesssel to clear outwards for any place even though not a port of entry, and to show you that such is the case, I beg to inform you that some years since I addressed the Honourable Commissioners of Customs on this subject in regard to Cloudy Bay and have never received any definitive answer to this question showing that there was too much doubt for their Honours to give any order on that head. I would therefore suggest that the Government of New Zealand should place an officer at the Chatham Islands, so that the Revenue might be protected from the injury which it now sustains. I have, See., kc., (Signed) J. Gibbes, Collector of Customs, Collector. Auckland, New Zealand.

Custom House, Auckland, 26th April, 1854. Sir, In connection with my letter of the 19th instant having reference to the barque Ino, I have the honor to state for the information of His Excellency administering the Government, that I have been credibly informed that forty tons of tobacco, the duty on which amounts to five thousand pounds, with a vast quantity of customable goods have been landed and are still depossited at the Chatham Islands. The American whaling vessel the Awashonks has gone to sea without obtaining her clearance, having sailed early on Tuesday (yesterday) morning, and there is every probability of her calling there after the information taken out by me on Saturday last for a breach of the Customs Laws, and an immediate visit to that place will, I apprehend, be of much benefit to the revenue of this port. I have, kc., (Signed) William Young, To the Honourable, Collector. The Colonial Secretary, kc., kc.