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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 24

(Enclosure in No. 1.)

page 2

(Enclosure in No. 1.)

Government Buildings, Wellington,

Gentlemen,—The Government wish you to visit all the Provinces in order to obtain the information requisite for preparing and submitting to the Assembly the estimates for carrying on the public services in the Provinces during the coming year.

It is especially desirable not to make changes so suddenly as to cause local inconvenience. Whilst, therefore, some of the departments may be at once incorporated with the General Government service, it may be found desirable to continue for some time others on a more or less local footing. For example—it is proposed to arrange to make local payments for contracts in progress for works which, as soon as the necessary arrangements can be effected, will devolve upon the local governing bodies, for which it is intended to make provision during the coming session.

For your guidance I have to inform you that the Government intend to incorporate, as stated below, Provincial with General Government services. In some respects, as for instance, the Land and Education administrations, which it is desirable to continue under local control, the incorporation will mean little more than the appointment of the General Government department with which the local department will correspond.

With respect to Charitable Institutions, it will scarcely be necessary for you to do more than indicate their present cost and footing, as they will be handed over to local control, without, it is hoped, any intervening taking charge by the Colonial Government. With regard to the Police Forces, it would be better for you to confine yourselves to reporting on the present cost and standing of the various forces.

You will be so good as to suggest to the General Government the appropriations which you consider necessary under the circumstances I have pointed cut, and also to indicate the officers whom you think might be dispensed with. To save you the feelings of regret which such an invidious task might otherwise occasion, I have to inform you that the Government propose to ask the Legislature to make much larger provision than at present authorised by way of compensation to the officers dispensed with. In most cases it may be better to indicate the office which you think can be spared than to name the holder of it.

You will, as soon as you arrive in the Province, present to the Superintendent the accompanying letter of introduction. If, as I do not doubt, the Superintendents meet you in the courteous and conciliatory spirit in which you are accredited to them, you will defer as much as you feel justified in doing to their advice, and when you do not concur with it you will not fail to represent it to the Government. You will be careful to treat them with the respect their high position merits, and to remember that their functions still continue, and that the General Government are not entitled to do more at present than to seek informa- page 3 tion which will enable them to adequately discharge the responsibilities the law devolves on them after next session.

The Provincial Auditors, who are General Government officers, will render you such aid as you may require from them, for which these instructions will be sufficient warrant.

The following transfers of Provincial Departments are proposed :—

All Executive Departments connected with uncompleted clerical work, the keeping of records, &c., to be in the Colonial Secretary's Department.

The Police Forces to be in the Minister of Justice's Department.

The Crown Lands, Survey, Goldfields' Departments, and the Inspectors of Sheep, to be in the Secretary for Crown Lands Department.

The Railway and Public Works Departments and the Public Plantations to be in the Minister for Public Works' Department.

The Harbour Departments to be placed in the Commissioner of Customs' Department.

Education, for a time at least, in the Minister of Justice's Department.

The Hospitals, Lunatic Asylums, Industrial Institutions, Charitable Aid Organisations, Orphan Asylums, Public Libraries, and Museums—subject to arrangements to be made for the continuance of local control of Charitable Institutions—to be in the Colonial Secretary's Department.

I have, &c.,

Julius Vogel.

Messrs Wm. Gisborne, Wm. Seed, John Knowles.