BETWEEN WELLINGTON AND HAWKE'S BAY.

B—No. 8a

7

that he stated with respect to Balance of Interest due from Hawke's Bay that, "they (Wellington) " had actually received two thousand five hundred pounds for interest, and three thousand pounds " on account, and if they only received two thousand pounds more, it would not be so much as is " set down (in the Estimate of Revenue) by two thousand five hundred pounds ; but he believed "in fact it would be more." I have been given to understand that eight thousand pounds, in all, has been actually paid to Wellington Government on account of Hawke's Bay out of our share of the overplus one-sixth of the Laud Revenue of this Province, I now beg to call your attention to a letter from this Office, dated February 11th, 1861. You will perceive by this communication, that the Provincial Council dining the last Session rejected any sum being placed upon the Estimates until some account was furnished by the Government of Wellington, showing the extent of the liability of Hawke's Bay. In consequence of this, I must protest, on the part of the Government of Hawke's Bay, against any payment being made by the General Government on our account until such time as the Wellington Government has furnished a satisfactory statement of the permanent debt at the date of separation, and the General Assembly has had an opportunity of considering the fairness and equity of such .claim when preferred. I think that the Superintendent of Wellington should be called upon to make a definite statement of accounts on the part of his Province, and when that is placed in juxta-position with the statements made on the Wellington Debt in a pamphlet by our late Member, Mr. FitzGerald, during the last Session of the General Assembly, the Members of the House would then be in a better position to judge upon the merits of a question involving the vital interests of the Province of Hawke's Bay. I have, &c, J. C. Lambton Carter, Superintendent. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Auckland.