§ MR. HENNIKER HEATONI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there is a serious deficiency exceeding £2,000 in the funds of the Melbourne Mint; whether the British Government will have to ask Parliament to vote the money to pay this sum; whether the Victorian Government has made a profit of over £6,000 last year from the Melbourne Mint; and whether that Government will contribute towards the loss?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSums, amounting to over £2,250 were stolen by a clerk in the Melbourne Branch of the Royal Mint, who has been sentenced to two years' hard labour. On learning the circumstances of the thefts, I directed that an inquiry should be held into the administration and organisation of the three Branch Mints in Australia, and Sir Ralph Thompson, formerly Permanent Under Secretary to the War Office, and Mr. Rigg, of the Royal Mint, went to Australia for that purpose. The Government will not have to ask Parliament for a Special Vote, as there are sufficient savings on the Mint Vote for the current financial year to make the defalcation 476 good. The facts will be fully explained in the Appropriation Account. The Annual Report of the Melbourne Mint for the year 1897 has not yet been received, so that the Revenue which has resulted from its operations is not known here. The Victorian Government will not be asked to contribute towards the loss. It must be remembered that the Mint is an Imperial establishment, for the working of which the Colony is in no way responsible; and that we receive from the Colony an annuity which covers the whole gross cost of the Mint.