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the costly outlay on the House wiring rather than being mixed with the various details of expenditure on repairs of all Public Buildings. As stated in my Minute, there had been during the year 1871 an expenditure probably of more than $17,000 on Government House alone. There has been an Estimate for a large part of this expenditure - and allments I had desired Mr Morsom to supply the information in question by returning Government House separately and furnishing the details required by the form which had been framed expressly to bring them to notice. I stated I should be obliged otherwise to summon him before the Executive Council, but in the meantime it may be as well to appoint a preliminary Committee of Inquiry into the Survey Department - that I may have the advantage of assistance in tracing Mr Morson's proceedings.
8. It clearly is impossible for me to have my time consumed in fruitless attempts to prevent Mr Morsom from undertaking expenditure without authority or exceeding Estimates, and otherwise concealing the details of Government House expenditure as he had been doing. As I understand, during my absence, and before my departure, he has been repeatedly doing so despite my instructions.