B.—No. 3a,

B.—No. 3. 1864. No. 1. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO THE SUPEEINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND. Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland, 10th December, 1864. y °- 39aSib,— Eeforring to previous correspondence on the subject of the financial state of the Province of Southland, I have to inform your Honor that Mr. Strickland, of the Commissariat Department, now at Wanganui, has been appointed to examine into and report on this matter and all the circumstances connected therewith. Mr. Strickland will proceed directly to Invercargill, and I have to request your Honor to give him every assistance in your power in the fulfilment of his duties. I have, &c, Teed. A. Weld. His Honor the Superintendent, Southland. No. 2. THE SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND, TO THE COLONIAL SECBETART. Superintendent's Office, Southland, 20th December, 18G4. Sin, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10th instant, No. 395, informing me that Mr. Strickland of the Commissariat Department had been appointed to examine into and report on the Financial State of this Province, and that he was about to proceed hither for that purpose. I shall be happy to give Mr. Strickland every facility to obtain all the necessary information. I have, &c, J. A. E. Menzies, Superintendent. The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Auckland. No. 3. THE SUPERINTENDENT, SOUTHLAND, TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Invercargill, Southland, 21st December, 1864. Sib, — The case of M'Kenzie and Company's claim against the Provincial Government of Southland has been the subject of frequent communication with your oilicc since the latter end of June. The claim which they made then I considered a reasonable one, although standing almost alone in the opinion that it should be met at the time. As you may perhaps be aware after endeavoring in various ways to obtain a portion of the sum due to them, Messrs. M'Kenzie and Co., served a writ on the Provincial Government which was notified at once to the Colonial Secretary, for the time being. Subsequently the property of the Provincial Government was assigned to the General Government for its protection, on the 22nd November. The Colonial Sub-Treasurer in Southland took possession on that day on behalf of the General Government. In the course of yesterday the Sheriff", acting on behalf of M'Kenzie and Co., under authority of a writ of Fieri Facias issued out of the Supreme Court, took possession of the property of the Provincial Government ltailway Plant, Government Offices, Furniture, Papers, Documents, &c. &c. All that could be seized. A messenger who was in charge and resided on the premises was forcibly expelled, the doors were locked, and the officers of the Provincial Government prevented this morning from resuming their ordinary duties.

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