that office provisionally. Mr. Hulme further stated that he understood 2. Bridges was averse to holding the appointment.
I had occasion to address you in anticipation of this application, in my dispatch No. 3576 of 15th Ultimo.
Mr. Hulme's Letter was taken into consideration yesterday by the Executive Council and the following resolution was adopted:
"That, as in all probability early mail will bring to this Government the intimation of the intentions of the Secretary of State with reference to the Chief Justiceship and other Government Appointments, the Honorable the Chief Justice be requested to defer his application until the decision of the Secretary of State shall enable the Executive Council to advise His Excellency the Governor to accede to the wishes of the Chief Justice."
There has been no reply to the Colonial Secretary's letter conveying this decision to Mr. Hulme, but I wish at once to make a few remarks on the position of the Government in the matter.