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copy of a letter from the Colonial Treasurer rospecting the
charges of the Birmingham Mint for the execution of recont
orders from this Government for subsidiary coins, together
with a copy of the statement therein enclosed.
In my previous letter I invited your attention
to the excessively high charges made by the Birmingham Mint
as compared with those of the Royal Mint, and I have now to ask your further attention to the item "Inspector's charges
for supervising manufacture" to which the Colonial Treasurer
specially refers with a view of obtaining an explanation of
this charge.
You will observe from the Treasurer's remarks
that unless a substantial reduction of the charges made by
the Birmingham Mint can be obtained, this Government is
threatened with a loss on the transactions in question.
There is also the further prospective loss to
the Revenue of the Colony to be considered, in the event
of the Royal Mint being unable to execute orders for coins
for this Government as the present high charges of the
Birmingham Mint render it impossible to make a profit on
the sale of these coins.
I have &c.
20.
(Sa) J. H. Stewart Lockhart
Col: Secretary.
-5-
Col: Treasurer
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