Overexertion and stress of work in the Hospital now take effect upon me much more readily than in past years, and I have internal warnings of the danger I run when I try to do too much. These I have received for some time past, and when requested to undertake larger duties I could only represent my inability. Such statements from me on behalf of other officials are regularly received by the Government; this being part of my duty, and I have yet to learn on what grounds His Excellency refuses to believe me when I might on my own behalf be supposed least liable to error.
My letter of 12th instant does not appear to have been sufficiently clear; anxious days among the sick followed by disturbed and sleepless nights must account for this. My life is engrossed with the care of the sick, of whom I have now 277, including One Marques, in Hospital, and instead of being allowed necessary recreation and repose, very little leisure is taken.
In my letter of the 12th I stated, in answering these charges, that physical inability was the main cause of my failure to meet H. Co.'s wishes; I should have said there it was the sole cause; the rest of the letter being subsidiary, tending to show that there are many strong reasons why I should not have been asked to do the extra work.
It is possible that the Council have the impression that in my last letter I sought to justify disobedience of orders; nothing however was farther from my intention; and if my letter had that effect it was not so meant. I have not been informed that there is anything before the Council opposed to my plea of physical inability or ill health, and...