Colonial Despatches

I have on several late occasions brought under your notice the fact that the Legislative Assembly had struck out of the annual Estimate submitted to them, the salaries for Private Secretary and Auditor, £350 and £247 respectively. They have also reduced the establishment of Colonial Secretary to one clerkwho who is also "Clerk to the Legislative Council." I am therefore when the Council is in Session, left without the services of Colonial Secretary or clerical assistance of any kind.

I have thus been reduced to the alternative of shutting up my office and allowing public office to fall into arrear and confusion, or retaining the services of Mr Wakeford as Private Secretary.

I have no disinclination for labour, nor any desire to require others to do that which it ispossible possible to do for myself, but in the present case it would be physically impossible for me to perform even the clerical labour of my office. Much of this is connected with Crown Lands, and Crown Revenues, and I therefore feel justified pending your decision to charge Mr Wakeford's salary at the rate of £350 per annum against the Crown Revenue under the terms of your Despatch "Separate" dated 12th October 1865. I have the less hesitation indoing doing this inasmuch as the Acting Surveyor General's salary which you authorized me to pay from the Crown Funds has been voted from General Revenue.

You will observe from the accompanying letter from Mr Wakeford that he will continue to perform the duties of Auditor in the belief that he will be ultimately remunerated for his services.

The proposal of the Legislative Assembly to transfer the auditof of the Public Accounts to their own Clerk of whose qualifications and fitness for an office of high trust I have no knowledge is one that I could not accede to and for which I would not render myself responsible.