My Lords, [of the Board of Trade]

Your Lordships letter of the 19th July 1744 came to my hands but a few days ago, I am very much concerned to find by your continued reproofs that so many Paquets addressed to your Board from this Province have miscarried, for I do assure your Lordships I have been very diligent in my dispatches since the year 1741, both before the date of your letter and since, the want of a fixed place for Publick meetings, and the poverty of the Officers who have been so long without any regular payment of their salaries, and consequently can't stay long from their plantations, is the true reason why public papers are sometimes sent home without any letter from me, it has been impossible to prevent it hitherto, but I hope we shall be more regular for the future; for in a late Assembly held at Wilmington I have got a law passed for fixing the seat of Government at Newbern, and a tax laid for Public Buildings; There was only one other law past then, vizt An Act for ascertaining the number of representatives for each County, the inequality of which has been one great source of the Disorders of this Colony, I shall send a copy of them soon As I am under an absolute necessity of coming home next antumn, I hope I shall be able to justify my conduct to your Lordships, and give you a satisfactory account of all the affairs of this Province.

The members of Council remain the same as I wrote last August, as James Murray Esqre, who went home three years ago without leave, is not like to return, I take the liberty to recommend James Hassel Esqre to fill up his seat in Council.