B.—No. 3.

No. 71. THE SUB-TREASOnER, SOUTHLAND, TO THE COLONIAL TREASURER. Sub-Treasury, Southland, 10th August, 1864. Referring to the last paragraph of your letter of the 16th ultimo, No. 201, I do myself the honor to state that, in order to be enabled to comply with the request therein expressed, I placed myself in immediate communication with his Honor the Superintendent, requeuing him to have the goodn< st to cause steps to be taken to have me furnished with the requisite information; and I did so because it is obvious that the information is of such a character that it can only be supplied from a Provincial source. I regret to say that I have failed to elicit from his Honor a direct or straightforward reply, either in the affirmative or negative ; his letters (for several have passed on the subject) are evasive and unsatisfactory ; but evince either a desiie to evade the subject, or throw obstacles in the way of my being furnished with the return. 1 have, &c, A. J. Elles, Sub-Treasurer. The Hon. the Colonial Treasurer, Auckland.

No. 72. THE SUB-TREASURES, SOUTHLAND, TO THE COLONIAL TREASURER. Sub-Treasury, Southland, 11th August, 1863. S»R Since writing letter of yesterday's date, I have, on further consideration deemed it expedient to forward copies of the correspondence therein referred to, and I have now the honor to do so. Enclosure No. 8 had not been -received by me at the time my letter referred to above was written. I have, &c, A. J. Eixes, Sub-Treaiurer. The Honorable the Colonial Treasurer, Auckland.

No. 73. MESSRS. M'KENZIE AND CO. TO THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. Dmiedin, Bth August, 1864. Sib, — We have the honor of calling your especial attention to the following facts, with a view to our obtaining some redress from or through the General Government. We might preface our remarks by stating that we are contractors, viz. :— First. That we, on the 23rd July, 1803, contracted with the Southland Government for the construction of Railway Piers at the Bluff and Mokomoko, one of the conditions of which contract was, that we were to be paid at the rate of 90 per cent, every menth on work done. Second. That we completed said contract on the 14th June, 1864, to the perfect satisfaction of the Provincial Government and its Engineers, when were handed original of document, marked "A" herewith, by which you will perceive that some £4,770 0s 9d has been due since the 25th April, and the large sum of £15,163 2s. Id. since the 14th June lan. Third. We beg to call your attention to copies of documents herewith, marked uC" and " B," since receipt of which we have not been able to obtain any payment whatever, not even a partial one. We also beg to refer you to copies of coirespondence enclosed, recently passed between His Honor the Superintendent of Southland, Captain Elles, the Sub-Treasurer there, and ourselves. By these various documents you will perceive that there exists a difference of opinion between His Honor and the Sub-Treasurer respecting the understanding arrived at as to mode of application of the £45,000 loan from the General 10 the Provincial Government. Captain Elles.with Messrs. Pearson and Healp, holding thai we should receive no portion thereof, simply because our contracts were fiuished, although we are aware that Mr. Davis, another contractor, was paid some £2,0(J0 to £3,000 on old work, and others to our entire exclusion. We beg to refer you to letters of agreement passed betwixt yourself and His Honor the Superintendent of Southland, dated 7ta Btii June last, etnuraciug ternw on which this £45,000 was granted,

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