officially reported to me from several quarters that much public inconvenience is felt here from the want of a Second Volunte Magistrate, who, as I have already pointed out, should be a trained lawyer. This office has been vacant for more than seven months. It was intimated to me by the Colonial Office so far back as in last December that the strong recommendation of the Judges of the Supreme Court in favour of Mr. Wise, (an able English Barrister, practising in this Colony, and acquainted with Chinese) would not be accepted, and that a new Magistrate would be sent from England or from another Colony.
Mr. Wodehouse, the senior Police Magistrate, has applied for leave of absence on the ground of urgent private affairs which require his presence in England; but I have felt constrained to decline to grant it before the arrival of the new Magistrate. It appears that Mr. Wodehouse will be subject to...