PAPERS RELATIVE TO CLAIMS AND COUNTER-CLAIMS

]_,—No, 5,

12

randum was furnished on the 15th January last, and, in reply to your request, a detailed statement of the same items was supplied on the 27th February, but up to the present time, although certain returns have been made by various departments, no statement sufficiently complete in form or detail to enable me to ascertain whether or not all the payments made by the Colony have been duly credited, has yet been furnished to me. With reference to your concluding paragraph, I would state that the Treasurer promises me in the course of the day a complete statement of the counter-claims similar to the accoun^of the claims which I hope to receive from you. J. Richardson.

Sub-Enclosure 10 to Enclosure in No. 4. Memorandum by Major Richardson. Wellington, 2nd April, 1867. To Commissary-General Jones, C. B. In accordance with your request, I asked the Colonial Treasurer to compare the return of payments made from the Treasury to Imperial Officers with the documents which you placed in my hands. He reports that the accounts can only be made to agree in a few particulars. The return was subsequently handed to an Audit Officer, who after some hours trial has arrived at the same conclusion. As your books must show the dates on which the several sums were received, may I request that you will institute the necessary examination and favour me with the result J. Richardson.

Sub-Enclosure 11 to Enclosure in No. 4. Mbmokandtjm by Major Richardson. Colonial Commissioner's Office, Wellington, 2nd April, 1867. To Commissary-General H. S. Jones, C.B.— The Colonial Commissioner wishes to refer to some of the Vouchers in support of the Imperial Account, and would therefore be obliged by the Imperial Commissioner sending to this office all Vouchers connected with the claim, which were returned to Mr. Gallagher's charge. J. Richardson, Colonial Commissioner.

Sub-Enclosure 12 to Enclosure in No. 4. Memorandum by Commissary-General Jones, C. B. Wellington, New Zealand, 3rd April, 1867. To the Honorable Major Richardson.— Your Memo, of the Ist instant reached me at 8 o'clock last night, and I hasten to reply to it. The system you insisted upon adopting in prosecuting the duty entrusted to us, was from the first quite opposed to my views, and I only consented to it as you decidedly objected to mine, but I considered my objections at that time amounted to a protest against your system, and I have never seen any l-easois to change my views—on the contrary, I am more convinced than ever that I was correct. The object of the Treasury in requesting me to remain in the Colony is distinct viz., to discuss with an officer appointed on behalf of the Colony, the disputed portion of the outstanding claims, and counterclaims between the Governments, and thus obtain each from the other the reasons that might be adduced for or against those claims. But Ido not understand that we are to enter into an official correspondence on the various points remotely bearing upon the questions at issue. I must reiterate my opinion that had the course I suggested been adopted at first, the wishes of the Home Government could long ere this have been satisfied by obtaining fully the reasons of the Colon} for objecting to any services forming portions of the claims against the Colony. I have patiently given your system six months trial, and find at the end of that time that in plac of appearing nearer a termination of the duty, I have reason to believe we are as far from that object as we were months since. I understood on the 30th ultimo that you now require the account to be closed and completed before you discuss a single question, and you also require that it should be kept open for the introduction of now questions as they may arise. By my consenting to these terms I should be agreeing to remain in the Colony for an indefinite period, and this I do not consider the Home Government ever contemplated, or would sanction under any circumstances. It gives me some pain to find that my officially quoting our couversation of 30th ult. appears to you to trespass upon the faith of unreserved conversation, and that I should not thus have alluded to it. but I was under the impression before we parted that it was agreed, I should refer to it in an official shape. If lam mistaken on that point I can only express my regret that I should have so misunderstood you. You appear to mis-apprehend one point and that is that the Vouchers supporting the Imperial claims against the Colony will be removed from the Colony. They will be sent to Auckland, to remain there,