No. 62, Financial

In relation to the subject of my Despatch No 61 dated 8th August
1866 and previous Despatches I have the honor to inform you that the
Supply Bill was yesterday (16th August) passed by the Legislative
Assembly.

This Bill is now before the Legislative Council, but inasmuch as
there are "tacked on" to it, the greater portion of the Resolutions
which the Assembly interpolated in the Estimates (and of which I
transmitted a copy in my Despatch No 9 dated 8th February 1866),
and inasmuch, also, as it contains various votes initiated by the
Assembly, I do not anticipate that the Council will pass the Bill
unless amended by the excision of those Resolutions and of those votes.

On the other hand I have no expectation that the Assembly will agree
to any such amendments.

The result therefore probably will be that no Supply Bill at all will
be passed.

I enclose further newspaper extracts of the proceedings of the
Assembly respecting the Estimates and I will take care to inform you
of the final result.