The origin of the Committee could fairly be held to entitle them to as that Committee is at present composed.
The Committee is the outcome of a long continued struggle between the Unofficial Members of the Legislative Council and all of the Government of the Colony on the subject, first of retrenchment, and secondly of enquiry with a view to retrenchment. Until His Excellency arrived in the Colony there was no admission on the part of any member of the Government that retrenchment was either necessary or possible. His Excellency, it is true, fully admits the need for retrenchment and that there is room for it, and he advocates many valuable reforms, but His Excellency and the Honourable the Colonial Secretary have always opposed a public and independent enquiry.
On appeal to the Secretary of State the views of the unofficial Members of Council have prevailed over the views of the Officials, and if either side is entitled to have a majority on the Committee on enquiry and to make their views prevail it is surely that which thinks an enquiry necessary, and desires to push it to the fullest extent, and not that side that has always opposed public and independent enquiry as unnecessary and inopportune.
May I further point out that in my humble opinion it can be no possible advantage on an enquiry of this nature that the Commission is so constituted that there is a probability of equal division of opinion on many points, and consequent inability to take action. The object of the Committee is enquiry "comprehensive enquiry" to use the words of the Right Honourable the Secretary of State, affecting all departments in the service". The party favouring enquiry ought to have, if this is to be the prime object of the...
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was not provided, text ends abruptly.