The Meeting.
The General Considered
that the Connell was unable
to entertain
any
laches of the Surveyor General which had been committed prior to the 13 October, 1871, the date of the Colonial Secretary's Letter conveying a very strong reprimand to that Officer for repeated cases of dereliction of duty. If, however, since that date he had been guilty of disobedience of orders he deserves
very
severe
punishment.
But the General has grave doubt as to the advisability of proceeding to extremities
with Mr Munson, having regard
to the Members of the Court which
had to try him. His Excellency The Governor had already very strong views of the Surveyor General's
incompetency, and he (i.e. the General) had
made
no secret of
his personal opinion as to Mr Munson's unfitness for his post. Further, of the other Members, one
(The Acting Colonial Secretary)
was a
Member of the
Committee of Enquiry which
had condemned Mr Munson, and the administration of his Office, so that in fact
there
was only the other