THE CAPITATION STRUGGLE.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1674, 30 June 1875, Page 3

THE CAPITATION STRUGGLE.

FURTHER PARTICULARS BY TELEGRAM.

Since our leader was put in type we have received this telegram, conveying the following explanation of the causes which led to the withholding of the capitation money from Wellington. The explanation is so childlike and bland that we have not far to go to fix the author. It is unnecessary for us to say that it is only bunkum. The Government have retired precipitately from a stupid position : —

Mr Bathin's latter is as follows :—"Sir, — In transmitting to the Provincial account t'-is day the amount of capitation allowance for Apiil, payable on the 30th May, I have the honor, by direction of the Hon. Colonial Treasurer, to explain that this, payment has been withheld until now in a hope that the Treasury might be enabled to adjust the charge against the province in respect of interest payable under the Immigration and Public Works Act on the monies expended in the construction of the completed portion of the Wellington and Masterton railway. Owing, however, to the ambiguity of the law as to the mode of making upthese accounts, and to the difficulty of reconciling the views of the Commit" sioners of Audit and of the Treasury on the several points involved it has been determined to postpone the preparations of the accounts and the recoveries to be made upon them until Parliament shall have expressed, in a clearer form, its intentions in the matter. The capitation allowance for May will be paid at due date (to-morrow) aB usual."