NELSON AND MARLBOROUGH PROVINCIAL DEBTS.

17

A.—No. 10

I have accordingly to request that your Honor will, by an early opportunity, inform me what course you propose to take to provide for the payment of the sum of £7,500 due on tho Ist July neit. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Marlborough. E. W. Staffoed.

No. 7. Copy of a Letter from His Honor W. H. Eyes to the Hon. E. W. Staffobd. (No. 46-143.) Superintendent's Office, Stb,— Blenheim, 6th June, 1868. In reply to your letter No. 68, of the 21st ultimo, on the subject of the Marlborough Provincial Debt of £7,500, I have the honor to inform you that in the present financial state of this Province, it is quite impossible for me to propose to take any steps to provide for the payment of the said sum to the Colonial Treasury other than the provision already made by the forty-sixth clause of " The Public Revenues Act, 1867." The sum of £1,000, which in the year 1866, was voted by the Provincial Council as a sinking fund towards the payment of this debt, was never appropriated for the purpose, the revenue of the Province not admitting of my doing so. I have, &c, W. H. Eyes, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, Superintendent.

No. 8. Copy of a Letter from the Hon. E. W. Staffoed to His Honor W. H. Eyes. (No. 304.) Colonial Secretary's Office, Sir,— Wellington, 17th June, 1868. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your Honor's letter No. 46-143, of the 6th instant, on the subject of the payment, which will be due on the Ist proximo, of the sum of £7,500, being theprincipal allocated by law to the Province of Marlborough, out of the Provincial debt of the original Province of Nelson. As your Honor is unable to take any steps to provide for the payment of this sum, and as the amount of £1,000 voted by the Provincial Council of Marlborough in 1866, as sinking fund towards such payment, was never appropriated for that purpose, the Colonial Government will provide the funds for the payment of this debt, but the whole case will be submitted to the General Assembly, in order that it may be dealt with by further legislation in such manner as may be found necessary. I have, &c, His Honor the Superintendent, Marlborough. E. W. Staffobd.