130
Evidence.
Pages:-- 126-128
140 148-149 182-183
Evidence.
[vi]
The present staff is not up to the strength provided for in the 1902 Estimates, which accounts for the apparent disparity between the suminary given above, and the increase of staff referred to in the evidence, which refers entirely to the staff in existence when the Commission was first appointed.
The expenditure on account of these increases in the staff beyond that provided for in the Estimates for 1902, is estimated at $29,500 (See Appendix No. 25.)
CROWN AGENT SYSTEM.
22. In view of the statements made regarding the Crown Agents, the Commission thought it only fair to all parties concerned that those statements should be thoroughly investigated, though the Crown Agent system was not referred to it for inquiry and report.
Appendix No. 22 contains a list shewing the various firms that supplied goods and materials to this Colony, during the last ten years, through the Crown Agents. The variety of firms on the list shews that the field of selection for purchases is a wide one and not too circumscribed, as has been suggested.
Mr. DENISON in his evidence stated that he knew an instance in which he was pur- Page 122 chasing iron for his clients at a much cheaper rate than that at which it was being
supplied at the same time to the Colony by the Crown Agents.
Evidence.
From the correspondence in Appendix No. 19, it appears that Mr. DENISON is mistaken and that, as a matter of fact, the Crown Agents were supplying the Colony with iron at a cheaper rate than that at which Mr. DENISON obtained it for his clients.
It was also stated by a member of the Commission that the Crown Agents had Pages:- forwarded a consignment of cement to Hongkong without having received any requisi-
tion in the usual way from the Government.
127-128
168
The documents in Appendix No. 23 shew that the cement in question was duly ordered by the Director of Public Works, Mr. ORMSBY, who appears to have forgotten that he had sent his order and to have misled others into believing that the Crown Agents had forwarded the cement without authority.
Those witnesses who have had practical experience of the Crown Agent system. including Mr. CHADWICK, all speak highly of it, and the Commission is of opinion that ✅it works well and that it would not be easy to substitute for it any other system that
would work so satisfactorily.
DISCHARGE OF DUTIES BY P. W. D. FROM 1st Oct., 1899 to 30th Sept., 1900.
23. The second subject of reference on which the Commission was appointed to report is stated in the Commission as follows :-
The manner in which the duties devolving upon the Public Works Depart- ment have been performed during the period of two years preceding the 1st day of October, 1901.
In view of the evidence given to the Commission, it is of opinion that, owing to insufficiency of staff, it was not possible for the Department to discharge its duties
thoroughly.
Through want of staff, public works, including water-works, have been delayed, and the general business of the Department has not been conducted with that promptitude which the Commission regards as most necessary and desirable.