Colonial Despatches

I have had the honor to receive Your Lordship's Despatch No 12, of the 21st February, calling my attention to the Duke of Buckingham's Despatch No 63, of the 21st August 1868, and to previous correspondence respecting a claimagainst against this Government for £675.2.4, Six hundred and seventy five pounds, two shillings and fourpence, on account of Stores supplied by the War Department for the service of the Colony.

2. When Your Lordship wrote you had not received my Despatch No 9, of the 29th January transmitting the Estimates for this Year and reporting upon the financial position of the Colony. From what I there stated it will be obvious that the condition ofthe the finances is really as yet far from being improved. No provision has been made for this claim on the Estimates for this Year as I was entirely ignorant of it until now. I could not remit the amount without borrowing it from the Bank at twelve per cent compound interest—that is, interest on which interest is charged at the expiration of every quarter—and under all the circumstances of the case I trust that Your Lordship will permit me to defer the remittance.