the increases of staff proposed in despatches You No. 122 of the 26th May and No. 179 of the 12th July last, I had assumed that had satisfied you Yourself that these increases were sufficient to put the Department in a position to discharge its duties with efficiency. It is with regret, that I therefore, with respect to the statement in the last paragraph of Commander Hastings' letter of the 10th November last, enclosed in despatch to you under reply, that he was averse from recommending the additional staff now proposed, in as much as he doubted whether, if any large increase of staff were proposed, anything would be granted.
3. I have to inform you that I am not prepared to sanction the further increases proposed unless you can assure me that they are not only absolutely necessary for the efficient working of the Post Office but also that further increases of staff and salaries in this Department...