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been adhered to, viz: at the average rate of remittances during the current year.
The difference between the two profits shown (viz: $25,799) is a purely artificial one, but it will have to figure as part of the revenue for the year, and consequently this Government will have to pay to the War Office on this shipment alone the unnecessary amount of $5,160.
On the same principle, taking the amount for the year at $2,000,000, this system will involve the extra payment of about $34,000 for the year, absolutely on account of the method of book-keeping alone.
To balance the above fictitious amount of Revenue there will have to appear on the Expenditure side of the account an equal amount under the head of "Loss on Exchange" which will have to be provided for in the Supplementary Estimates, but I submit that if Rule 151 is not to be amended that authority be given to transfer this item to debit of the Subsidiary Coin Account at the end of the year.
This would obviate the necessity of having a large fictitious sum on both sides of the Revenue and Expenditure Account for the year, but I do not know what objections might be raised to such a course in London.
(Sd.). A.M.THOMSON.