8,—22,

1898. NEW ZEALAND.

AUDIT OFFICE AND RAILWAY DEPARTMENT. (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO THE TRANSFER OF £15,000 FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS VOTES TO THE VOTE FOR WORKING RAILWAYS.)

Laid on the Table by the Hon. the Speaker.

Audit Office, 14th October, 1898. The Controller and Auditor-General has the honour most respectfully to report to the House of Eepresentatives that a transfer which is entered in the Public Accounts for last financial year of £15,000 from the public-works votes to the credit of the vote for working railways, in respect of a sale of stores by the Department of Working Eailways, was considered by the Audit Office to be a transaction of doubtful legality, but that the Audit Office decided to pass the transfer in the conclusion that the doubt was sufficient to justify the Audit Office in doing so and reporting the case to Parliament. And the Controller and Auditor-General has further the honour most respectfully to submit to the House of Eepresentatives a copy of the correspondence relating to such transfer. J. K. Waebubton, Controller and Auditor-General. The Hon. the Speaker of the House of Eepresentatives.

Copy of Cokrespondence relating to a Voucher passed by the Audit Office on the sth March, 1898, for the Transfer of £15,000 from the Public-works Votes to the Votes for Working Eailways.—(69s23.) Dr. Transfer. Public Works Fund— Folio. £ Vote 83 2804 ... 12,000 rq ' (2812) onnn "89 12863) "• 3,00 ° £15,000 Or. Consolidated Fund, Ordinary Eevenue (Credits) — Vote 60 (5/376) 749 .-,., 15,000 £15,000 Treasury, 28th February, 1898. (Stamp.) E. J. Collins, Accountant to the Treasury. Examined and passed— J. C. Gavin, Assistant Controller and Auditor-General, 6th [referred to in correspondence as sth] March, 1898. (Signed)— Jab. B. Hbywood, Secretary to the Treasury.

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