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: and as you have seen from my telegram of the 15th February last, the Crown Agents were requested to draw drafts so as to reduce the balance to the maximum allowed. I may mention that at the end of September last year all the subsidiary coin in the custody of the Government was disposed of. The subsidiary coin now in hand will all be sold, probably, about the end of next August, so that if no more were ordered the whole of the Government balance would be available.
7. As at present advised, I do not consider that any additional taxation is necessary, though if extensive sanitation or rebuilding works are entered upon it is probable that in the near future it may be necessary to consider the best means of meeting such extra expenditure. Meanwhile I shall, as you suggest in paragraph 15, cause Mr. Messer's suggestions to be carefully examined in detail, by a Committee which I propose to appoint for that purpose.
8. With regard to the new post of Principal Land Surveyor, mentioned in paragraph 17, I may mention that the salary proposed for that officer was $2,400 with Exchange Compensation, in other words the approximate equivalent of £300 Sterling per annum. In accordance with the usual practice only the substantive salary of $2,400 appeared in the Estimates. In this connection I would refer you to paragraph 3 of Sir Henry Blake's Despatch No. 167 of the 30th April, 1901.
9. In the same paragraph you draw my attention to the fact that though you approved of the appointment of an additional Land Bailiff, there is no provision made, in the Estimates, for the salary of the post. With reference to this I