Balance should be set apart, and not be brought forward against the Expenditure of the Surveyor General's Department for the Year 1845-46; that until the services are completed, separate Returns should be drawn out upon them, and that all Vouchers connected with them should be marked to the Year 1844-45 to which they virtually, solely belong. By this method the actual annual Expenditure in the Land Office will be yearly closed, and each financial Year will be charged with its own proper Expenditure.
If Your Excellency should approve of this arrangement, it will be advisable to direct the Surveyor General to number from unity, all new services to be undertaken from 1st April 1845.
It being evidently irregular for the Clerk of the Works to be the Paymaster of the weekly Bills of those employed by the Land Office on Day Labour, and in petty Contracts, I have also the honor to suggest that Your Excellency might with great advantage order the Colonial Treasurer directly to make all payments, and to take Receipts, whereby also all irregularities in the proper payments, receipts, issues of money, forms of Vouchers, and other Documents can be at once checked by the Treasurer.
In recommending the employment and attention of Mr. Pope to be relieved from this service, I deem it my duty to report to Your Excellency, that that Officer's Vouchers and Office Documents are most satisfactory and evidence indefatigable zeal in the performance of his duties; and I personally know that but for his systematic and unassisted endeavours to keep the Accounts of the Land Office in order, they must...