231
them during the month in which
the
he had begun to incur expenditure, and not unfrequently during the month succeeding
that in which
the expenditure had been incurred;
So that as a
result the Requisitions
were useless, so far as being the
authority
on which works were
to be commenced involving disbursements of public money.
We find that this
2.
course was continued notwithstanding certain definite orders forwarded, from time to time to Mr Meersom through the Colonial Secretary. These orders were in the form of both warnings and
reprimands,
but appear to have been followed
on the part
of the Executive by
no action. Not only, therefore, was the Surveyor General acting
in
disobedience of direct instructions issued to him, but he was perpetually incurring expenditure on
the part of the Government without having any duly recognized authority.
Mr Meersom admits that "the delays were his fault, and
couples this statement with a plea that the Requisitions not
being
in
a
form which he considers best adapted for the Public Service. However, he failed to convince the Committee that there was an