Auctioneer rendered his account of the sale of the effects at the end of November - A certainly unnecessary delay, but the young man who acted in that capacity at the time in the absence of his uncle was frequently dilatory in making up his accounts over in England. I paid the proceeds into the Colonial Treasury on the 16th December and rendered the accounts to the Colonial Treasurer, with a number of others for the Quarter, on the 5th January 1889.
With respect to Mr Booth's suggestion, I beg to state that I am prepared to open a debtor and creditor account with the Board of Trade direct, and am of opinion that by that means the delays complained of, if not lessened, can at least be more readily accounted for, when the responsibility will rest entirely on this Department. The only difficulty lies in the fact that I receive no fees on account of the Board of Trade, and hold no funds wherewith to relieve wrecked and destitute Seamen; it would therefore be necessary, before making any change in the present system, that some arrangements be decided upon whereby I may be supplied with advances on account of the Board of Trade, as I may require them, seeing that deceased seamen's Estates are not available for current outlay.
I beg to re-enclose the...