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I had already reported in Despatch No. 81 of 13th August to Your Lordship that Mr. Moorsom had since my arrival here shewn himself unfit for the post of Surveyor General of this Colony, I deemed it Your Lordship advisable to save any consideration of the complaints which had been made by communicating as soon as possible the fact of the resignation of the Officer referred to. Moreover, it was expedient for the public service here that, with a view to the appointment of Mr. Moorson's successor, Your Lordship should receive early intelligence of the vacancy.
I will now explain what has taken place since the receipt of Your Lordship's Despatch, No. 91, of 30th July, and I trust that the course which I have adopted, with the advice of my Council, will meet with the concurrence and approval of Your Lordship.
In the first place, as Mr. Moorson had been made aware of the tenor of Sir Richard MacDonnell's Despatch of 10th April 1872, relating the result of an Inquiry held to investigate the charges brought against him, I caused a letter to be sent to him which contained the substance of Your Lordship's Despatch in reply.