Extract from the Acting Local Auditor's letter dated 14th April, 1904.
"The business of collection falls almost entirely to the lot of Sergeant Interpreter, his qualifications as such being indispensable to the work. He can only occasionally be helped by the Detective or Police Sergeant, and when absent on sick or ordinary leave, or when engaged on Police duties in Court or elsewhere, collections must necessarily cease. A particular instance was quoted to me in which owing to pressure of Police work the payment of Crown Rent had to be 'choked off', as it was expressed, for a fortnight.
"It often happens too at Taipo, from the fact of its being the telephone remitting station for the New Territory, that the Interpreter will be engaged in receiving, translating and transcribing messages, sometimes a lengthy business, when lot holders come in to pay rent.
"The consequent failure to receive prompt attention results in certain cases in the lot holder decamping and not being heard of for some time.
"In fact Police business and the collection of Crown Rent in the New Territory, as far as it is possible to form a judgment of the case from the state of affairs at Taipo, act and react one upon the other to their mutual disadvantage.
"Looking at the system as a whole it cannot be considered satisfactory that the collection of a large source of revenue should be in the hands of other than experts. Since the New Territory was taken over, sums amounting to close on $10,000 have been written off as impossible of collection; and while due allowance must be made for the newness of the work, the fact cannot be overlooked