REPORT.
p. 233.
The Commission appointed to enquire into the truth of certain charges publicly made against the Officers of the Public Works Department reports as follows ;-
2. The Commission held its first meeting in the Council Chamber on the 2nd January, Appendix and, having appointed a Secretary, resolved that an advertisement should be inserted in the local Newspapers, inviting all persons who might have any information to give upon the subject matter of its enquiry to communicate with the Secretary. It was ordered to be notified that all communications so made would be considered private and con- fidential if desired to be so.
3. Consideration having been given to the fact that the appointment of the Commis- sion had been occasioned by circumstances mainly arising out of statements made in a local Newspaper, the Secretary was instructed to write to the Editor and Sub-editor of the journal in question inviting their attendance before the Commission. The Secretary was moreover requested to deliver the letters in person, and to state that any evidence the Editor or Sub-editor might wish to afford would be taken by the Commission either publicly in the presence of reporters, or privately, as the witnesses might elect. Appendix Both Editor and Sub-editor declined to attend. The correspondence which ensued
will be found in the appendix.
pp. 240-42.
4. No persons responded to the public invitation of the Commission to come forward, but the Commission has to express its thanks to several gentlemen who, in conformity with requests made privately, have attended and given much valuable information. The Commission is also under obligation to Major MULLOY, R.E., and Mr. FLEMING of the Royal Engineers Department, for the personal assistance they have given to the enquiry, as well as to His Excellency the Major-General Commanding the Troops for facilitating the attendance of these gentlemen.
5. The Commission, in the course of its sittings, 18 in number, has examined in addition to the witnesses referred to in the foregoing paragraph, nearly the whole of the staff of the Public Works Department, as well as the officers connected with the Colonial Secretary's, Treasurer's and Audit Departments, with most of the Chinese Contractors employed by the Government on Public Works, and has been furnished with all Official documents and records for which it has had occasion to call in pursuit of its enquiries.
6. The subjects to which the enquiries of the Commission were directed by His Excellency the Governor, were two, viz. :—-
1st. The truth of certain charges which had been made against the Officers of the
Public Works Department.
2nd. The circumstances under which information respecting Departmental corres-
pondence had been communicated to persons not in the Government Service.