Colonial Despatches

With reference to my Despatch No 50 of the 5th of December 1860 upon the subject of the completion of the Light Houses in Fucas Straits, and wherein I report the amount required to effect a final settlement of the cost oferection erection as about one Thousand pounds (£1000), I have the honour to represent to Your Grace that after this settlement was effected, and I was under the impression that all payments had been made, claims against the work to the extent of between Eight Hundred (£800) and One Thousand pounds (£1000) were brought to my notice; the Contractor, as I stated in my Despatch, having broken down and having no available assets, and his sureties being legally relieved from their responsibility by theGovernment Government under the circumstances before explained being compelled to step in and take the work of the Contract into their own hands.

2. These claims were principally for provisions supplied to workmen, and it was alleged that the Government was justly responsible for their settlement, inasmuch, first, as although ordered in the name of the Contractor, still they had been obtained by the officer of the Government superintending the work; and secondly, thatwhen when some of the orders for payment given by the Contractor upon the Colonial Surveyor had been presented to that functionary, he although not at the time accepting them, had nevertheless, as they considered it, given such assurances of a final satisfactory settlement, as to quiet the apprehensions of the creditors, and to lead them to make further supplies.

3. I placed the whole matter in the hands of the Attorney General, who after a long and careful investigationascertained ascertained that although probably legally the Creditors could not force their claims, still that for the credit of the Government, we were morally bound to liquidate a portion of the claims amounting to the sum of Four Hundred and thirty pounds (£430).

4. Under these circumstances I felt that it was incumbent upon me to accept of this portion, and I am therefore obliged to draw one further Bill upon Her Majesty's Government for the necessary sum of Four Hundred and thirtypounds pounds (£430). I do so with great reluctance for Her Majesty's Government have already so generously and readily met our requirements, and having led Your Grace to imagine that my last draft would be final, as I then believed it would be, I am most loth to make this further call for assistance, but I have no other means of meeting the outlay required, for the expenses of starting the Lights in working order have been very heavy, andthe the Colonial funds appropriated to their maintenance have been all absorbed.

5. I trust therefore Your Grace will be pleased to cause the Bill I now draw to be accepted by the Board of Trade upon presentation.

6. The final accounts with that Department will be forwarded either by the present or following Mail.