33.—N0.'3a

Southland are placed, will advance the sum £2751 Ss. Sd. the sum required for the payment, of the salaries due to them, should your Honor express your willingness to counsel the retention by the General Government, of one eighth of the Customs Eevenue (hi addition to ihe three eights now retained by the General Government) until such time as this advance shall be repaid. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Feed. A. Weld. Southland. No. 60. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SOUTHLAND TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Wellington, Bth April, 1565. Sib,— ■ • 1 have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th instant intimating that owing to the very trying circumstances in which the discharged officers of the Provincial Government of Southland are placed, the Government is willing to advance the sum of £2751 2s. Sd. on my agreeing to your retaining an additional one eighth of the Customs until such, lime as the advance-is paid, and'in reply to state. That I accept the terms offered because I am most anxious not to subject the officers to further embarrassment, but at the same time I feel it necessary to remind you that it will by so much prevent my meeting the necessary current expenditure and interest and sinking fund liabilities of the Province; and that the Government of Southland in her peculiarly difficult position, the result I acknowledge of her own action, might at least have expected that the small sum referred to might have been added to the debt already due by it to the General Government, and the whole subject of security remitted for the consideration of the General Assembly which I hear is to meet very shortly. I have, &C-, John P. Taylor. The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. No. 61. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY TO THE SUPEBISTENDENT, SOUTHLAND. Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, Bth April, 1565. Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Honor's letter, of this day's date referring to the proposal on the part of the General Government to advance £2751 2s. Bd. in payment of arrears to discharged Officers of the Provincial Government of Southland, coupled with the condition that £th of the Customs shall be retained until the advance be repaid. Under the circumstances urged by your Honor the Government will suspend the retention of the ith of the Customs in repayment of the above advance until the General Assembly has had an opportunity of considering the question. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Fred. A. Weld. Southland. No. 62. THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SOUTHLAND TO IHE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Wellington, Sth April. 1865. Sir, — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day's date in which you inform me that under the circumstances urged by me the Government will suspend the retention of the ith of the Customs Eevenue in repayment of the advance you agree to make of £2751 2b. Bd. in payment of arrears due to discharged Officers of the Provincial Government. I shall feel obliged by your forwarding an order to the Sub-Treasurer by next mail for the payment to the Provincial Treasurer of the amount. I have Ac, The Honorable the Colonial Secretary, John P. Taylor. Wellington.

31

THE FINANCIAL CONDITION OF SOUTHLAND.