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A compendium of official documents relative to native affairs in the South Island, Volume One.

Thursday, 20th August, 1868

Thursday, 20th August, 1868.

The Committee met pursuant to adjournment.

Present:—Major Atkinson, Mr. Carleton, Mr. Haughton, Mr. Rolleston, Mr. Tancred.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

Mr. Batkin, Accountant, was called in, and a list of questions handed to him, to which he was requested to reply to-morrow.

Mr. Woodward, Assistant Treasurer, was then called in and gave the following evidence:—About the end of June, 1867, Mr. Fitzherbert had a statement of balances of the Deposit Account drawn out as it stood on the 31st March. Mr. FitzGerald and he went over this account, and decided that certain amounts were to be considered as Trust Funds. The amounts are those stated in Mr. Fitzherbert's Financial Statement. This amount was placed as a fixed deposit at interest in the Bank of New Zealand. I assume that a requisition on the Comptroller was made for the amount, to transfer it from the Public Account. I cannot speak positively on this point. It was withdrawn from the Comptroller and was in the Colonial Treasurer's name and might be operated on by him. After the page 161passing of the Public Revenues Act Mr. FitzGerald called on the Treasury to pay this deposit (£24,000) into the Public Trust Fund. There was £30,000 in the Bank. I have no doubt that the amount of £24,000 was paid back in full to the Public Account. The other sum of £6,000 was already bearing interest when the deposit was made, and was paid back in the same manner. It was a round sum of £6,000. Mr. Fitzherbert omitted this sum in his Statement. There was no specific requisition to the Comptroller when the money was paid for this sum of £6,031 18s. 9d. The amount did appear after payment in a covering requisition made for the purpose of adjusting accounts. The amount was struck out by the Comptroller. Nothing further appears on record in the matter. It was spoken of at several interviews. Instead of interfering with the Deposit Account, which was bearing interest, the Treasury paid the sum of £6,031 18s. 9d. from the Colonial Treasurer's balance, which balance had been drawn from the Comptroller for other purpose.

Mr. Hill. Chief Clerk, Audit Office, was then called in, but was unable to give evidence relating to the question referred to the Committee.

On motion of Mr. Carleton, Resolved, That this Committee adjourn until Friday, the 21st August, at. 10.30 o'clock.