§ COLONEL MAKINSasked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether the Treasury have exercised the power given to them by the 30 and 31 Victoria, cap. 98, section 17, of auditing the Accounts of the Patriotic Fund, and the last date the Accounts have been so audited under the directions of the Treasury; and, if a Copy of the audited Accounts would be laid upon the Table if moved for?
§ MR. W. H. SMITH, in reply, said, that the Treasury, in exercise of the power given to them by the Act referred to, had requested the Controller and Auditor General to undertake the audit of the accounts of the Patriotic Fund. It was, however, found that there were difficulties in the way of imposing that duty upon him, and it was finally arranged that the audit should be carried out by an independent auditor. Owing to the difficulties referred to, the audit of the accounts had been somewhat delayed; but the Treasury would have no objection to the production of the last audited account, or of the accounts as they would be audited in future.