250
7. It is, of course, open to Government, and Mr. Boulton is perfectly aware of the fact, to keep him on as a monthly paid officer under no agreement or covenant, but I am of opinion that his good services extending over 10 years merit more consideration, and that the permanent securing of an officer of his skill and experience would be entirely to the advantage of Government. I have no hesitation in saying that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fill Mr. Boulton's place in a satisfactory manner to Government, if an offer of better paid employment induced him to relinquish his present post on a month's notice. He has been identified with the Praya Reclamation from its very initiation and he has every detail of this important work at his finger's ends. This work has for some time proceeded so smoothly that I think the magnitude of it as an engineering undertaking may have been to some extent lost sight of; it is being carried out with a minimum of expenditure on administration, the special Engineer appointment in connection therewith having been abolished when Mr. Bowdler retired on pension, thereby saving to the Marine Lot holders a salary of $480 plus $120 Exchange Compensation a month, but throwing much additional work and responsibility on the Director of