261

The House resumed at seven o'clock. 15. Governor's Salary Bill:—Mr. Stafford brought up the report of the committee of conference on the Governor's Salary Bill. On motion of Mr. Stafford, the report of the committee of conference was read and adopted by the House, and Mr. Campbell and Mr. Stafford were ordered to signify the same to the Legislative Council. 16. Estimates of Expenditure .:—On motion of the Colonial Treasurer, Mr. Speaker left the chair, and the House resolved itself into a committee of the whole for further consideration of the Estimates. On Mr. Speaker resuming the chair, the Chairman reported that the committee had adopted the following resolutions, and recommended the same to the House. j(l.) Supplementary Estimates for Excess of Expenditure for years 1854-55 and 1855-56 :—That this House defers the consideration of the following items of expenditure, for which provision is recommended by his Excellency in Message No. 27, on account of excess of expenditure for the years 1854-55 and 1855-56, being of opinion that such recommendation should be made on the responsibility of Ministers, and accompanied with explanatory information justifying such expenditure, which information is not now before it, viz. :— Colonial Secretary's Department £28 4s 6d. Colonial Treasurer's Department £21 13s 4d. Auditor-General's Department £1 15s Id. Registrar General under Marriage Act £105. Native Secretary's Department—Presents to Natives £426 17s Bd. Resident Magistrates' Departments £417 0s 4d. Miscellaneous £18 8s 6d. Registration of Deeds at Nelson £33 13s 6d. Total £1052 12s 1 Id. Additional Buildings outside of the military Fort at Porirua, which, under an engagement made by the Governor in the year 1848, were taken at a valuation when the Fort was given up by the Ordnance Department in June 1852, £250. Postage stamps and iron printing press, &c., £522 3s. Passage of Officer administering the Government to New Plymoutli per H.M.S. " Pandora" £105 ss. Thrashing machine, ordered from England for the use of the aborigines of the Rangiawhia District, £58 4s 6d. Total £935 12s 6d. Governor's Department—Extra clerk from 11th August 1855, to 31st January 1856, at 10s. per diem £87- Furniture for Government House, sanctioned by Resolution of the House of Representatives No. 50, £500. Rent of House in the Karangahape road, engaged as a residence for the Governor £150. Total £737Colonial Secretary's Department—One extra clerk, at 10s. per diem, from Ist August to 30th September 1855, £30 10s. One extra clerk, at 4s. per diem, from Ist August to 31st January 1856, £36 16s. One extra clerk from 9th October 1855, to 31st January 1856, at ss. per diem £28 15s. Three extra clerks, at 7s. 6d. per diem, from Ist January to 30th June 1865, £204 15s. Assistant messenger from Ist Juiy to 30th November 1855, £7 13s. Office rent for three months, from Ist July to 30th September 1855, £34 lps 6d, and from Ist April to 30th June, 1856, £13 13s, £48 12s 6d. Total £357 Is 6d. Resident Magistrate's Department, Wangan.ui—Office rent £12. Post Office, Auckland—For village Postmasters and letter carriers appointed subsequently to July 1855, and for increased pay to letter carrier at Russell £63. Sub-Tieasury, Russell—Clerk at £150 (half salary paid by Customs Department) from 28th November 1855, to 30th June 1856, £39 3s Bd. Elections, Auckland —Hustings £6 13s 4d. Returning Officers (being one-third of the whole expense, two-thirds having been borne by the Provincial Treasury) £2J7 10s. Total £224 3s 4d. Resident Surgeon, Otago—Salary for one year £120. Repairs of Supreme Court at Auckland £80 6s. New Plymouth, Registrar of Dee;ds, at £200 per annum from 30th September 1855, £50. Total £130 6s. Governor's Department—Extra clerk for the month pf February, 1856, 10s. per diem, £14 10s. Land Purchase Department—Contingencies defrayed by Mr. Commissioner McLean out of advances issued to him from the Land Fund —Extra clerical assistance at Wellington and Auckland £r2B lis. Extra messenger at the South £10. Offipe rent at "Wellington £.3 3s, Office fittings at Auckland £13 14 s 3d. Copying deeds at Wellington £21 17s 6d. Paid for Court House at Hawke's Bay, £30. Interpreter at Ahuriri, £36 6s. Native Secretary's Department—Presents to Natives, £258 12s Cd. Contingencies £10 ss. Total £512 9s 6d. General Assembly—Extra clerk employed in the Audit Office in the preparation of returns, &c„ from 11th April to i Ith July, 1856, £37 10s. Registrar of Deeds, Wellington—Official books, &c., £38 17s 3d. Miscellaneous