As the services Mr. Lister has rendered to this Colony are well known to your Excellency, your predecessors, his official colleagues, the public, and the Colonial Authorities at home, we do not need to detail them. For some 24 years, he has been an Officer of the Government.
We are aware that lately an officer in the Post Office, of which Mr. Lister was chief, embezzled Government funds. It is possible that this circumstance may have deprived him to some extent of the active sympathy of the Government, but we would urge that his long unblemished career, his untiring zeal in the performance of his duties, and the fact that he has occupied almost every official post in the Colony except that of Governor, is evidence of a record which we respectfully submit should outweigh a fault that, at the worst, seems to us to have been but a temporary want of precaution.
Under these circumstances, we trust that Your Excellency will recommend to the Council a Compassionate Allowance for the benefit of Mr. Lister's children, and in so doing, we believe that Your Excellency would meet with the approbation of this Community.
We understand that an allowance of this kind has to be approved by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and as the next meeting of the Legislative Council will not be held until October, and as the provision for the children's future is pressing, we beg Your Excellency to forward the case home at an early date, fortified by your valuable support, so as to obtain the Secretary of State's sanction by the time the Council meets.
We have the honour to be, Sir,
Your Excellency's obedient humble servants.
(Signed)
P. Ryrie A. P. McEwen
C. P. Chater
J. J. Roberts
H. St. L. Stovell
H. Jackson J. J. Burdon, Bishop
A. J. Ede Granville Sharp
Geo. Murray Bain
Adam Lind Wothers. Forbes
H. St. Whitehead
C. J. Rowland
Com G. Brodie A. O. D'Guorin St. L. Dalrymple
E. Mackintosh St. P. Semant
J. E. Davies W. St. Ray
Fr. Dodwell