CO885(1-2) — Page 645

4

8. I will now direct your Lordship's attention to the Supplementary Estimate for the present year, amounting to 964, the items of which are chargeable against the Survey Department only. These expenses, however, are not altogether in excess of the amount provided in the estimate transmitted with my Despatch, No. 155, dated 28th August, 1848. The amount then taken for the charge of the Survey Department was 63817 58., of which, however, 5001. was in aid of the road from New Norfolk to Hamilton, 1007. for an exploring expedition to the west of Derwent, 1007. to pay the travelling expenses of a person competent to investigate the mineral resources of the country,-leaving thus the actual cost of the Survey Department, as estimated for the present year, 56811, 58.

9. In my Despatch, No. 75, dated May 29, 1849, I mentioned to your Lordship that I had decided to employ the parties connected with the Trigonometrical Survey of the island, in exploring the country to the west of the Derwent, and that I also proposed to open a road from the upper Derwent to Port Davey, and to make bridges over the Derwent and other large rivers. The additional expense caused by this is detailed in the Supplementary Estimate, and will amount for the present year to 8221. 6s. 8d. In con- sequence of the representation of the Surveyor General, Mr. Power, of the great addi- tion to the business of his office, caused by the increased amount of Crown land now leased annually, I have allowed him to employ a fourth clerk, at a salary of 100% per annum; and as the claims of the second clerk, Mr. Boothman, were brought strongly before me by the Surveyor General, I sanctioned an increase to his salary of 251., making his pay 1757. instead of 1507, per annum.

10. In consequence too of the difficulty of collecting the revenue, arising from the licenses to cut timber upon the waste lands of the Crown in the Iluon District, I have been obliged to appoint a person, with a salary of 1007, per annum, with a couple of labourers to man a boat, for the purpose of visiting the different wood-cutting establish- ments, and enforcing the regulations as to the payment for licenses;-the revenue derived from this source is rapidly improving-the amount collected has increased since the appointment of the Inspector from 2217. to 565/. 10s. 10d.

11. The excess of the expenditure of the present year over the estimates forwarded with my Despatch, No. 155, of 28th August, 1548, will be altogether 361, and as the uatlay will operate most beneficially upon the revenues of the Land Fund, I trust that your Lordship will approve of the steps which I have taken, which have led to the increased expenditure.

12. I will now proceed to call your Lordship's attention to the estimated expenditure for 1850, as shown in document No. 5. The amount taken for the expense of the Caveat Board is the same as that for the present year. There is a trifling diminution in tha expense of the Aborigines to the extent of 791, caused partly by the withdrawal of the visiting magistrate, whose presence was found to be unnecessary, and partly to a reduction in the number to be supported, three or four deaths having taken place in the course of Of this, the present year. The charge for the survey department is taken at 65877. 58. however, 3×27. will be for the purpose of completing the work of opening the western country, commenced during the present year. The cost of the more permanent establish- ment will amount to 62057. 58. There are sundry changes and additions in the department, involving an increased expenditure of apparently 5274, but in point of fact of 2771. only, and the following explanation will, I trust, satisfy your Lordship that this increased amount will be beneficially expended.

13. The first addition is that of 100l. to the salary of the Deputy Surveyor General. This has already been noticed and recommended in my Despatch No. 5, dated the 6th of January, 1819, and I think that the services of Major Cotton entitle him to such The next is an addition of 25. to the salary of Mr. Hurst, the chief an increase. draughtsman. The services of this gentleman were strongly brought under my notice by the Surveyor General, s establishing a claim to the increase above stated, and I acceded to the justice of this claim after examining into the documents brought before me. additions of 10 per annum to the salaries of the third draughtsman and third clerk are in accordance with the usual rate of increase.

The two

11. The changes which have taken place in the strength of the surveying parties, while it has given an increase of one party, has only made an addition of 1:27 to the annual There has been a reduction of one second-class surveyor, and arrangements expense. have been made for the maintenance of the necessary number of men, which have reduced In the place of the expense of the remaining second-class surveyor from 4508, to 3907. the one reducerl, two third-class surveyors have been taken on at salaries of 1507. cách, and the cost of the parties employed with these surveyors amounts to 1997; the whole cost, therefore, of the two parties will make up a sum of 4901. per annum, while the saving by There is an addition of 60%. the reduction of the second-class surveyor amounts to 3107.

for rutions for three volunteer assistants, These are young men who are anxious to make themselves acquainted with the theory and practice of surveying, who, having applied to me for permission to join the surveying parties, have been allowed to do so, and in considera- tion of the assistance which they will afford to the surveyor in charge will be supplied with rations. An increase in the number of men employed has become necessary for the purpose of conveying the large instruments which are now aliout to be used for the triangulation, and an ncrease of 31. per annum has been made to the wages of eight of the most steady and There well-conducted men, to induce them to remain in the employ of the Government.

is a charge of 301. for the equipment of the third party of surveyors, and the item of 751. for stationery and intraments, though in apparent excess of the estimate of last year, is

5

only partially so, as the stationery used by the Survey Branch hitherto has been paid for out of the amount granted for stationery generally. A sum of 175% is taken for contingencies; it is impossible to say in a country like this what accidents may happen, or what outlay may be necessary, especially among the parties employed in exploring the westerneunry and this amount may therefore be required.

15. I have now gone into an explanation of the items of the estimate, which, however, while it is explanatory of the outlay upon the survey establishments generally, cannot be taken as a guide in any way in forming an opinion of its efficiency.

16. In former despatches, I have pointed out to your Lordship, some of the evils which have been caused by the system, or, rather, want of system, which has characterised the work of this department, and longer experience and a closer examination of the mode in which the duty is performed, has not in any way altered my opinion. I will not, how- ever, say more on this subject at present, as it is my intention to appoint a Board very shortly for the purpose of examining and reporting upon the amount and character of the work performed at present, and of making suggestions for the improvement of the system. I had intended to have employed my private secretary, Captain Stanley, as one of the members of the Board, and I have no doubt, but that his accurate knowledge of the details of the best system now in operation, together with his industry and perseverance, would have been of the greatest value in such an investigation, but his sudden death, while it has deprived me of a friend and assistant, has been in this as in many other instances, a loss to the Government, the effects of which in this colony, I shall find it difficult to remedy.

17. In the detailed statement of the Revenue arising from the Land Fund, your Lord- ship will have perceived that a large sum is even now in the hands of the Govern- ment applicable either to emigration, or to such other purposes as Her Majesty may please to direct. I have on former occasions, taken the liberty of pointing out to your Lordship, that to defray the cost of the passage of emigrants of the labouring class to to this colony, would in point of fact, be merely to make a present to the adjoining colonies of the amount of the passage money.

18. In a despatch, dated 12th March, 1849, No. 64, your Lordship has assented to the truth of this observation, and has stated that you concur in the force of my observation, that if large numbers of free labourers were sent out by means of the Land Fund to Van Diemen's Land, the only effect for the present would be to make this colony a stepping-stone to the others, and to spend its revenue in providing labour for its neighbours.

19. In the meantime, however, a large and an increasing sum of money is lying in the Bank idle, which might be expended most beneficially upon a variety of public works of such a character as would not only pay good interest upon the original outlay, but also provide a sinking fund for the repayment of the capital in a few years, such for instance, as the Bridgewater Bridge, which while it is a great convenience to the public. and while the cost of the toll for the passage of the river at the point where it has been erected has been reduced one half, is yet able to pay not only the interest upon the debt, but also gradually the principal.

20. A similar result would follow from the establishment of a steam-bridge or ferry, at Hobart Town. I should wish, therefore, to be allowed to advance money from this fund at a low rate of interest, say 5 per cent. for the construction of such works as may be considered by the Legislative Council of sufficient importance to justify an outlay upon them from the funds of the colony.

21. I might also be allowed to assist such private associations as might be willing to undertake works for the purpose of carrying out on a large scale those schemes for irriga- tion to which alone can we look in a climate like this for the means of increasing the fer- tility of the land, such undertakings being, of course, sanctioned by legislative enactment, and the advance of money secured on the property of the undertakers, while the interest would be defrayed by a rite upon the land thus improved.

22. I have mentioned tlæse two undertakings as instances of the mode in which the sur- plus funds arising from ti e lanti might be, for the present, usefully employed, and as illus- trative of the principle upon which I should wish to be allowed to art. Should it hereafter be desirable to hold out special inducements to emigrants from the mother country, the amount thus invested would become available, as it would only be looked upon as a loan, or as a means whereby money devoted to a specific purpose, to which, however, it could not at present be advantageously applied, might be made productive of great benefit to the community, instead of lying idle in the coffers of the Bank, or being employed for its sule use and advantage.

I have, &c.

W. DENISON.

The Right Hon. Earl Grey,

Ne.

Ke.

(Signed)

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference —

LTIC.O.

885

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO