COLONIAL ACCOUNTS.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 34, 24 January 1846, Page 3

COLONIAL ACCOUNTS.

To the Editor of the Ntw-Zevdander. Sir, — Recently you dissected the three quarterly returns of Revenue and Expenditure, published in ih« Gazette, and really reuderedinleliis-ible a mass of figures otherwise incomprehensible. In your account of receipts, I perceive" under the fourteenth item, — " Bills on Hobart Town," which were lor the relief of the refugees from the B.iy of Islands, — the sum ol £82, — and in iheexpenduure, under General Contingencies, for " Belief to Destitute Persons," the sum of £282 10s. 4d. which would make it appear, that the balance is £200 10s. 4u\, from the funds of the colony. That the Bills from Hfibnrt Town should appear in the Colonial accounts a' all, is a matter ot surprise ; but what I wish to call your attention to i<s, that tlii-. sum of £82 is not the whole amount received by the government, and it really Sir, becomes a subject of great importance, as to whether the Colonial accounts are still to be conducted in the same manner, and the Audit office to continue as now constituted. The proof of my assertion, and the justice of my lemarks wi 1 be borne out by the following leiter from the Colonial Secretary of New Zealand, to Fiedenck Haller, Esq., Secretary of the Committee at Hobart Town, acknowledging the receipt of Ninety eight Pounds, four shillings. How is this discrepancy to he accounted for? The sum in the Cilouial accounts is Eighty two Pounds only; but the Secretary remitted Eighty Pounds by Bill, and a balance of Eighteeu Pounds and lour shillings. Having called your attention to this error, I leave the subject in your hands, and remain Your's, &c. VERAX.

New Zealand, Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 28th Oct., 1845. Sir,— l have had the honour to receive and lay before Governor Fitzroy your letter ol the sth ultimo, communicating information of the receipt ami payment of the hill for Eighty Pounds, dr wu upon you by the Colonial Treasurer, and also transmitting a balance ot Eighteen Pounds four shillings; the toial being the amount ol a subscription entered into in Van Dieman's Land for the relief of the late sufferer, at the Bay of Jslauds. In reply I am instructed by Ins Excel'ency to request that you will renew to the Committee and the Subscribers his hear.felt thanks^ on ihe part of the sufferers for the geuerous and well timed assistance rendered to so many objects deserving their sympathy. 1 have been directed further to add, that by the means thus afforded, along with that from other sources, much misery has been relieved, that the sick and wounded are nearly all recovered, and that most of the refugees from Ru sell remaining in New Zealand are at present supporting themselves by their own industry. 4 have, &c, &c. Anuhi w Sinclair, Colonial Secretary To Frederick Flaller, Esq., Secretary to a Committee at HobartToun for the relief of distressed Refugees from the I!ay of Islands.

" United Slates Ship St Lovis, " Bay of Islands, New Zealand, Match, 13th 1845. " Sir, — I have the honour to report to you by an American whaler leaving for United States, the arrival of this ship at this port on the .'id instant, being eight days from Sidney, New South Wales. Upon my arrival here I found the island in a state of great commotion, from a threatened attack upon the British authorities by the natives. The arrival of the Si. Louis, upon that day I cannot but regard as most opportune, the force of the European population being entirely inadequate to the protection of their wives, chikhen, and property. Pursuing a course of non-interference, excepting where humanity should dictate me to act, I have nevertheless, by obtaining interviews with the native chiefs, been so fortunate as to exact from them a pledge of safety for the innocent women and children of the Europeans. The chaiacter of these difficulties terminated on the 11th instant in the attack and possession, b} the natives, of the English village of Kojorarika. lam thi» morning taking defenceless inhabitants on board this ship to carry them to Auckland, the neatest town and seat of government. 1 am sorry tosa) that I fear the result of these troubles will be, in futurp, the extermination of New Zealaudeis by the English. 1 shall proceed, after landing the inhabitants at Auckland, to jo ; n Commodore Parker at the Society Islands. Upon my arrival I found Mr. Henry G. Smith, a \oung American merchant, had been acting some time previous as Kice Consul, during the absence of Mr. Williams to the United Stales, who, it seems, was his predecessor. Even the latter and never received the io)al e.xqimtor ; in consequence, a fevt da)s before my arrival Mr. Smith was desired to haul clown the American flag, by command of the English Governor. Of the high importance of the Bay of Islands to our whalemen, and of the great value of American interests involved here (there being no less than 70 or 80 of the whalers touching and refitting annually), I presume >ou are well aware j and 1 am safe, probably, in saying, that no other poit or harbour in the world competes in its importance to the American whaling interests. '•With the highest consideration and respect, I am, Sir, ) our most obedient servanf, "J.M'KEEVER, Captain. " The Hon. the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, D. C."