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the propriety of not proposing changes in reference to the peculiar personal qualifications of the Officers of the Government at any particular time, it materially bears on the present argument to remember that Mr Forth has been in the Colony since 1857 and nevertheless has never been asked to fill any Office but that of Colonial Secretary for less than three months soon after his arrival: when Sir John Bowring was Governor. And that of Police Magistrate for less than a few weeks in all. Therefore, if for twelve years little extra assistance has been derived from the Treasurer's Department, and if the business of the Colony has moved smoothlyA and is at this moment well in hand, it seems possible without detriment to substitute for the offices of Treasurer and Auditor General some office such as that of an Accountant General with a Board of Audit.
A Vide S. 8. to Govt. No. 100. 8th July 1869. Treas: 6829
Such an arrangement which does not involve a combination of the Colonial Secretary's Office with any other would probably effect a saving of $4000 per annum. And is rendered more feasible by the recent decision of Her Majesty's Government to dispense with the Imperial Audit of Colonial Accounts. In fact, the great diminution of work caused by that decision is such that, if for other reasons a general revision...