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7.
The period of leave applied for at present is
six months, from some time in April, four on full pay and
two on half pay, but the Treasurer informs me he will
probably apply for an extension of the half pay leave whe:
he is at home, and also that if necessary he would put of:
the date of his departure for a few weeks.
8.
Should you see your way to favourably consider
the proposal, the question arises as to how the work of tr
Local Audit office could be carried on during the absence
of the Treasurer,
9. Mr Hardcastle has not yet had sufficient experien
to carry on by himself for any length of time, and there 1
no doubt but that if he were appointed Acting Local Audito.
he would frequently want advice, and I know of no one he
could come to for it but myself. If I were allowed to
advise, and to a certain extent assist him I think he could
carry on.
10. I should take care that my acting as Colonial
Treasurer did not interfere with the test audit of the
Expense Accounts at the Naval Yard, a fair proportion of
the work will be got through in February and March, and by
working overtime later in the year the Expense Accounts
would not suffer.
11. A visit to the Northern Ports is in the programme
of work for the current year, and this I would propose to
make in April before the Treasurer goes on leave.
12. The question of pay also arises. The Treasurer's
pay is $400 per mensem and mine $333-33. During the four months full pay leave he would draw his $400 and I should
have to draw my $333.33.
13.
When the half pay leave commenced there would be
available