leave with half pay leave in Mr Austin's case, but he has been
allowed a leave to which his resident service did not entitle
him as under § 2 of Cap. Colonial Regulations leave of absence
only be granted after six years' resident service, unless on
ground of "serious indisposition or urgent private affairs."
I allude to these points because in a despatch of even date
herewith I propose to draw Your Lordship's attention more
fully to the expediency of reconsidering the Rules of Leave
of absence in this Colony, so far as those Rules affect the
combination of things so dissimilar in their original object
as vacation leave and ordinary half pay leave. I beg however
that I may not be in any manner understood as dealing with
Mr Austin's leave otherwise than as a convenient case for
illustrating a general argument, and indeed I do not see how
I could avoid doing so, because it meets immediately
on my return and I have already strongly signified my opinions
on the subject.
I have the honor to be,
My Lords,
Your Lordship's Most Obedient, humble Servant,
Henry Graves Macdonnell,
Governor.